U.S. patent application number 11/521428 was filed with the patent office on 2007-04-05 for engine starting system for power train.
This patent application is currently assigned to MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION. Invention is credited to Kiyotaka Mamiya, Hidetoshi Nobumoto, Taizou Shoya, Takayuki Ueda.
Application Number | 20070078040 11/521428 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37467546 |
Filed Date | 2007-04-05 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070078040 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nobumoto; Hidetoshi ; et
al. |
April 5, 2007 |
Engine starting system for power train
Abstract
An engine starting system for a power train including an engine
and an automatic transmission includes an engine stop/restart
controller. The automatic transmission having special mode includes
first and second planetary gear sets having respective sun gears, a
turbine shaft, an output gear, a forward clutch and a 2-4 brake.
The forward clutch sets the automatic transmission in a drive
condition when engaged and in a neutral condition when disengaged.
If the special mode is selected under conditions where the output
gear is locked, the sun gear of the first planetary gear set is
locked. During execution of automatic engine stop control
operation, the engine stop/restart controller causes the automatic
transmission to initiate a transfer to the special mode before fuel
supply is interrupted and causes the forward clutch to completely
engage at a specific point in time after the automatic transmission
has completed the transfer to the special mode.
Inventors: |
Nobumoto; Hidetoshi;
(Fuchu-cho, JP) ; Shoya; Taizou; (Fuchu-cho,
JP) ; Ueda; Takayuki; (Fuchu-cho, JP) ;
Mamiya; Kiyotaka; (Fuchu-cho, JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
NIXON PEABODY, LLP
401 9TH STREET, NW
SUITE 900
WASHINGTON
DC
20004-2128
US
|
Assignee: |
MAZDA MOTOR CORPORATION
Hiroshima
JP
|
Family ID: |
37467546 |
Appl. No.: |
11/521428 |
Filed: |
September 15, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
477/70 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F02N 2300/2006 20130101;
Y10T 477/638 20150115; F16H 2312/14 20130101; F02N 19/00 20130101;
F02N 99/002 20130101; Y10T 477/675 20150115; B60W 10/115 20130101;
Y02T 10/40 20130101; Y10T 477/679 20150115; B60W 30/18018 20130101;
F16H 61/0202 20130101; F02D 41/042 20130101; F02N 11/0844 20130101;
B60W 10/06 20130101; F02N 11/0818 20130101; F16H 2061/0488
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
477/070 |
International
Class: |
B60W 10/00 20060101
B60W010/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 30, 2005 |
JP |
2005-289257 |
Sep 30, 2005 |
JP |
2005-289316 |
Claims
1. An engine starting system for a power train including an engine
and an automatic transmission which transmits engine power while
performing gear shifting operation in a prescribed manner, said
engine starting system comprising: an engine stop/restart
controller for performing automatic engine stop control operation
for automatically stopping the engine by interrupting fuel supply
necessary for continued engine operation when automatic engine stop
conditions are satisfied and for automatically restarting the
engine by producing combustion at least in a cylinder which is on
an expansion stroke at engine stop when engine restart conditions
are satisfied after automatic engine stop, wherein said automatic
transmission includes a stationary member constituting an integral
part of a transmission housing; a planetary gear mechanism
including at least a first rotary member and a second rotary
member; an input shaft of the planetary gear mechanism; an output
shaft of the planetary gear mechanism; a clutch for engaging and
disengaging the first rotary member and the input shaft to and from
each other; and a brake for engaging and disengaging the second
rotary member and the stationary member to and from each other;
said automatic transmission having a special mode in which the
clutch is disengaged and the brake is applied; wherein the clutch
is configured to set said automatic transmission in a drive
condition in which the engine power can be transmitted to a driving
wheel side when the clutch is engaged and in a neutral condition in
which transmission of the engine power to the driving wheel side is
interrupted when the clutch is disengaged at least under conditions
where the automatic engine stop conditions are satisfied; wherein
if the special mode is selected under conditions where the output
shaft is locked, said automatic transmission is brought to a
condition in which the first rotary member is locked to the
stationary member; and wherein said engine stop/restart controller
performs special clutch engagement control operation in which said
automatic transmission is caused to initiate a transfer to the
special mode before the fuel supply is interrupted and the clutch
is caused to completely engage at a specific point in time at least
after said automatic transmission has completed the transfer to the
special mode during execution of the automatic engine stop control
operation.
2. The engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller begins to perform the special clutch
engagement control operation during a process of automatic engine
stop after interruption of the fuel supply in executing the
automatic engine stop control operation.
3. The engine starting system according to claim 2, wherein a
substantial engagement starting point when the clutch begins to
substantially engage is set at a specific point in time after a
point in time when a piston in the cylinder which will be on the
expansion stroke at engine stop lastly goes beyond top dead center
immediately before engine stop during the process of automatic
engine stop.
4. The engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller begins to perform the special clutch
engagement control operation at a specific point in time such that
an engagement ending point at which the clutch completes engagement
as a result of the special clutch engagement control operation
occurs at a point in time when engine speed becomes zero for the
first time during the process of automatic engine stop.
5. The engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller releases the brake after the clutch
has completed engagement as a result of the special clutch
engagement control operation when canceling the special mode upon
fulfillment of the engine restart conditions.
6. The engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller causes the brake to begin engagement
before interruption of the fuel supply when transferring said
automatic transmission to the special mode.
7. The engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein the
power train is mounted on a vehicle, said automatic transmission is
a multi-gear transmission having at least first gear, second gear
and third gear, said automatic transmission being configured to
apply the brake when in the second gear under normal running
conditions of the vehicle and to directly shift from the third gear
to the first gear at a first specific vehicle speed during
deceleration under the normal running conditions of the vehicle,
and wherein said engine stop/restart controller causes said
automatic transmission to shift from the third gear to the second
gear if the automatic engine stop conditions are at least expected
to be satisfied when the vehicle is in ordinary deceleration,
running at a speed not exceeding a second specific vehicle speed,
with said automatic transmission set in the third gear, and said
engine stop/restart controller causes said automatic transmission
to shift to the special mode after the automatic engine stop
conditions have been satisfied.
8. The engine starting system according to claim 1, wherein the
automatic engine stop conditions include at least that the output
shaft is not turning, and wherein said engine stop/restart
controller causes said automatic transmission to shift to the
special mode during execution of the automatic engine stop control
operation, said engine stop/restart controller performs the special
clutch engagement control operation such that the clutch completes
engagement while said automatic transmission is in the special mode
and the engine is making an initial reversing motion immediately
before engine stop, and said engine stop/restart controller
releases the brake after the engine has completed initial reversing
motion.
9. The engine starting system according to claim 8, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller releases the brake at a point in
time when the engine begins to run in a forward direction upon
completion of the initial reversing motion.
10. The engine starting system according to claim 8, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller releases the brake when a specific
period of time has elapsed from a point in time when the engine
begins to-run in a forward direction upon completion of the initial
reversing motion in a case where the engine restart conditions have
not been satisfied yet.
11. The engine starting system according to claim 10, wherein said
specific period of time is a period of time from the beginning of
engine restart operation to the point in time when the engine
begins to run in the forward direction.
12. The engine starting system according to claim 10, wherein said
specific period of time is a period of time from the point in time
when the engine begins to run in the forward direction upon
completion of the initial reversing motion to a point in time when
the engine completely stops.
13. The engine starting system according to claim 8, wherein said
engine stop/restart controller adjusts a timing at which said
engine stop/restart controller issues a control command to at least
one of the clutch and the brake.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an engine starting system
for a power train which includes an engine and an automatic
transmission for transmitting engine power while performing gear
shifting operation in a prescribed manner, wherein the engine
starting system is configured to automatically stop the engine when
conditions for automatic engine stop are satisfied and to
automatically restart the engine when conditions for engine restart
are satisfied after automatic engine stop.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Developments in recent years in automotive industry intended
for reducing fuel consumption and carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2)
emissions provide an engine starting system which automatically
stops the engine at idle and automatically restarts the engine when
engine restart conditions are satisfied as a result of a driver's
action taken after idle stop for starting a vehicle, for
instance.
[0005] Generally, engine restart requires promptness to instantly
restart the vehicle when the engine restart conditions are
satisfied. Therefore, a conventional method of engine restart in
which the engine is restarted by cranking an output shaft of the
engine by means of a starter motor is not so preferable because the
conventional engine restart method requires a good deal of time to
complete an engine start sequence.
[0006] Thus, it is desirable to supply fuel into a particular
cylinder which was on an expansion stroke at engine stop and cause
ignition and combustion to occur in that cylinder so that the
engine can be instantly started with resultant combustion energy.
For the convenience of explanation to follow in this Specification,
the cylinder which was on the expansion stroke at engine stop is
hereinafter referred to as the "expansion stroke cylinder." Even if
the fuel is supplied to and combusted in the expansion stroke
cylinder, however, it will not always be possible to produce a
sufficient torque for restarting the engine. For smooth engine
restart, it is essential that the combustion in the cylinder
produce a sufficient torque.
[0007] To ensure that the combustion in the expansion stroke
cylinder produces a sufficient starting torque, a piston in the
cylinder should preferably be located in an appropriate range at
restarting. Generally, the appropriate range of stop position of
the piston in the expansion stroke cylinder is a range at around 90
degrees after top dead center in terms of crank angle, that is, a
range centered at a midpoint between the top dead center and bottom
dead center or a range slightly offset therefrom. If the piston in
the expansion stroke cylinder is stopped within this appropriate
range at engine stop, air left in proper quantity in the cylinder
and the fuel supplied thereinto would produce combustion in a
desirable fashion, thus providing a sufficient torque for engine
restart.
[0008] Aiming at a solution of the aforementioned problem, Japanese
Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-124754 proposes an engine
stop control technique for stopping a piston in a particular
cylinder in an appropriate range. The technique described in this
Publication is to regulate the amount of intake air during engine
stop operation to provide a proper amount of in-cylinder air so
that the piston in the cylinder can easily stop in the appropriate
range. According to the Publication, an engine starting system
employing this engine stop control technique can provide improved
engine restartability as the piston in the particular cylinder can
be controlled to stop in the appropriate range with high
precision.
[0009] To perform the engine stop operation described in Japanese
Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2004-124754 with yet higher
precision, disturbances to a crankshaft of the engine should
preferably be as low as possible during execution of the engine
stop operation. One approach currently under study for reducing
such disturbances is to disengage a starting clutch of an automatic
transmission, or to shift the transmission from a drive condition
to a neutral condition, when automatically stopping the engine.
[0010] The starting clutch disengagement approach however requires
that the engine be instantly restarted and the automatic
transmission be quickly shifted from the neutral condition back to
the drive condition if there is made an engine restart request,
such as depression of an accelerator pedal, when the automatic
transmission is in the neutral condition during execution of the
engine stop operation. To prevent a delay in this form of gear
shifting operation, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
1999-351371 proposes an arrangement for setting a transmission in a
precharged state during a process of automatic engine stop, the
precharged state being a condition of the transmission in which a
clutch is disengaged but a small amount of hydraulic pressure is
supplied to the clutch to hold the same in a state immediately
before engagement. This arrangement would make it possible to
quickly engage the clutch in response to an engine restart request,
such as depression of the accelerator pedal, thus ensuring quick
restating and acceleration capabilities of the vehicle.
[0011] However, the aforementioned control operation (hereinafter
referred to as precharge control operation) to maintain the
automatic transmission in the neutral condition by precharging the
clutch requires high-precision clutch engagement control. Holding
the clutch in the precharged state is almost equal to, so to speak,
keeping the clutch in balance at a boundary between engagement and
disengagement. Keeping the clutch in such delicate balance is
however not so easy in actuality, because engagement/disengagement
operation of the clutch could be affected by variations in working
fluid pressure and other factors. Additionally, if the clutch
slightly deviates from an ideal precharged state to engagement
side, the clutch will be brought into a loosely engaged state
associated with slippage. Since the slippage would more or less
lead to heat buildup in the clutch, the loosely engaged state may
cause damage to the clutch. The precharge control operation of the
aforementioned Publication requires high-precision clutch
engagement control and poses a problem affecting reliability of the
clutch as stated above and, thus, the precharge control operation
is so difficult to carry out. Even if it is feasible to employ the
precharge control operation of the clutch, implementation of the
same in the automatic transmission would be possible only through
engineering efforts undertaken over an enormously long period of
time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0012] It is an object of the invention to provide an engine
starting system for a power train configured to overcome the
aforementioned problems of the prior art.
[0013] According to the invention, an engine starting system for a
power train including an engine and an automatic transmission which
transmits engine power while performing gear shifting operation in
a prescribed manner includes an engine stop/restart controller for
performing automatic engine stop control operation for
automatically stopping the engine by interrupting fuel supply
necessary for continued engine operation when automatic engine stop
conditions are satisfied and for automatically restarting the
engine by producing combustion at least in a cylinder which is on
an expansion stroke at engine stop when engine restart conditions
are satisfied after automatic engine stop. The automatic
transmission includes a stationary member constituting an integral
part of a transmission housing, a planetary gear mechanism
including at least a first rotary member and a second rotary
member, an input shaft of the planetary gear mechanism, an output
shaft of the planetary gear mechanism, a clutch for engaging and
disengaging the first rotary member and the input shaft to and from
each other, and a brake for engaging and disengaging the second
rotary member and the stationary member to and from each other, the
automatic transmission having a special mode in which the clutch is
disengaged and the brake is applied. The clutch is configured to
set the automatic transmission in a drive condition in which the
engine power can be transmitted to a driving wheel side when the
clutch is engaged and in a neutral condition in which transmission
of the engine power to the driving wheel side is interrupted when
the clutch is disengaged at least under conditions where the
automatic engine stop conditions are satisfied. If the special mode
is selected under conditions where the output shaft is locked, the
automatic transmission is brought to a condition in which the first
rotary member is locked to the stationary member. During execution
of the aforementioned automatic engine stop control operation, the
engine stop/restart controller performs special clutch engagement
control operation in which the automatic transmission is caused to
initiate a transfer to the special mode before the fuel supply is
interrupted and the clutch is caused to completely engage at a
specific point in time at least after the automatic transmission
has completed the transfer to the special mode.
[0014] These and other objects, features and advantages of the
invention will become more apparent upon a reading of the following
detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram generally showing the
structure of an engine employing an engine starting system
according to a first embodiment of the invention;
[0016] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing the structure of an
intake system and an exhaust system of the engine of FIG. 1;
[0017] FIG. 3 is a diagram generally showing an exemplary
configuration of a power train;
[0018] FIG. 4 is a chart showing a relationship between
engagement/disengagement states of individual engagement members of
an automatic transmission of the power train of FIG. 3 and gear
shift positions thereof;
[0019] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the engine starting system of
the first embodiment for the power train of FIG. 3;
[0020] FIG. 6 is part of a shift map showing a gear shifting
pattern of the automatic transmission of FIG. 3;
[0021] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a power transmission
path through the automatic transmission and turning directions of
individual elements thereof when the automatic transmission is in
drive range-first gear;
[0022] FIG. 8 is a gear speed diagram schematically showing turning
speeds of the elements of planetary gear sets in first to fourth
gears of the automatic transmission of FIG. 3;
[0023] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a power transmission
path through the automatic transmission and turning directions of
the individual elements thereof when the automatic transmission is
in drive range-second gear;
[0024] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a power transmission
path through the automatic transmission and turning directions of
the individual elements thereof when the automatic transmission is
in drive range-third gear;
[0025] FIG. 11 is a gear speed diagram schematically showing
turning speeds of the elements of the planetary gear sets in a
neutral condition of the automatic transmission of FIG. 3 when a
vehicle is at rest;
[0026] FIGS. 12A and 12B are explanatory diagrams showing a
relationship between piston positions and the quantities of air in
cylinders which are on an expansion stroke and on a compression
stroke at automatic engine stop;
[0027] FIG. 13 is a time chart showing how engine speed and turbine
turning speed vary during a process of automatic engine stop;
[0028] FIG. 14 is a time chart of automatic engine stop control
operation, particularly showing how the engine speed, throttle
opening and boost pressure vary with time over successive strokes
of individual cylinders;
[0029] FIG. 15 is a distribution chart showing how the engine speed
during the process of automatic engine stop is correlated with
piston stop positions at complete engine stop;
[0030] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a piston stop position
detecting routine for detecting the stop position of the piston in
an expansion stroke cylinder;
[0031] FIGS. 17A and 17B are diagrams showing how crank angle
signals output from a pair of crank angle sensors are related in
phase, FIG. 17A showing a phase relation observed when the engine
runs in a forward direction, and FIG. 17B showing a phase relation
observed when the engine runs in a reverse direction;
[0032] FIG. 18 is a flowchart generally showing a main routine
including engine stop/restart control operation performed by an
engine stop/restart controller of the first embodiment (applied
also to second and third embodiments);
[0033] FIG. 19 is a flowchart showing a first part of an engine
stop/restart control operation subroutine executed in step S7 of
FIG. 18 in the first embodiment (applied also to the second and
third embodiments);
[0034] FIG. 20 is a flowchart which follows FIG. 19 showing a
second part of the engine stop/restart control operation subroutine
performed in the first embodiment;
[0035] FIG. 21 is a flowchart which follows FIG. 20 showing a third
part of the engine stop/restart control operation subroutine
performed in the first embodiment;
[0036] FIG. 22 is a time chart showing a sequence of combustion
cycles performed during engine restart;
[0037] FIG. 23 is a time chart showing how the engine works,
including variations in engine speed with time, during engine
restart;
[0038] FIG. 24 is a flowchart which follows FIG. 19 showing a
second part of the engine stop/restart control operation subroutine
performed in the second embodiment (applied also to a third
embodiment);
[0039] FIG. 25 is a flowchart which follows FIG. 24 showing a third
part of the engine stop/restart control operation subroutine
performed in the second embodiment;
[0040] FIG. 26 is a graph showing a relationship between clutch
engagement time and automatic transmission fluid (ATF) temperature;
and
[0041] FIG. 27 is a flowchart which follows FIG. 24 showing a third
part of the engine stop/restart control operation subroutine
performed in the third embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE
INVENTION
[0042] The invention is now described in detail with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
[0043] FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams generally showing the structure
of a four-cycle spark ignition engine employing an engine starting
system according to a first embodiment of the invention. This
engine includes an engine body 1 having a cylinder head 10 and a
cylinder block 11 and an electronic control unit (ECU) 2 (refer to
FIG. 5) for performing overall engine control. The engine body 1
has a plurality of (four in the illustrated embodiment) cylinders
12A-12D, which may hereinafter be referred to as the first cylinder
12A, the second cylinder 12B, the third cylinder 12C and the fourth
cylinder 12D, or simply as the cylinders 12 collectively. Pistons
13 connected to a crankshaft 3 by connecting rods are fitted in the
individual cylinders 12A-12D whereby a combustion chamber 14 is
formed above the piston 13 in each of the cylinders 12A-12D as
shown in FIG. 1.
[0044] Disposed at the top of the combustion chamber 14 formed in
each of the cylinders 12A-12D is a spark plug 15 with an electrode
of the spark plug 15 at a far end thereof located in the combustion
chamber 14. Each of the cylinders 12A-12D is provided with a fuel
injector 16 installed on one side of the combustion chamber 14 for
injecting fuel directly into the combustion chamber 14.
Incorporating a needle valve and a solenoid which are not
illustrated, the fuel injector 16 is actuated by a pulse signal.
When this pulse signal is input, a nozzle of the fuel injector 16
opens for a period of time corresponding to the pulselength of the
pulse signal to inject the fuel in a quantity corresponding to
valve opening time into the combustion chamber 14. Each of the fuel
injectors 16 is so disposed as to spray the fuel in a direction
toward the vicinity of the spark plug 15. The fuel is supplied to
each fuel injector 16 from a fuel pump (not shown) via a fuel
supply channel. A fuel supply system is constructed to produce a
fuel supply pressure higher than pressure in the combustion chamber
14 during each successive compression stroke.
[0045] There are formed intake ports 17 and exhaust ports 18
opening into the combustion chambers 14 of the individual cylinders
12A-12D at upper portions thereof with intake valves 19 and exhaust
valves 20 provided in the intake ports 17 and the exhaust ports 18,
respectively. The intake valves 19 and the exhaust valves 20 are
actuated by valve actuating mechanisms (not shown) including
camshafts. Opening and closing timings of the intake and exhaust
valves 19, 20 of the individual cylinders 12A-12D are preset such
that the cylinders 12A-12D undergo successive combustion cycles of
intake, compression, expansion and exhaust strokes with a specific
phase delay as will be later described in detail.
[0046] The intake ports 17 are connected to an intake passage 21
while the exhaust ports 18 are connected to an exhaust passage 22.
A downstream part of the intake passage 21 close to the intake
ports 17 is divided into four independent branched intake channels
21a which are connected to the individual cylinders 12A-12D as
shown in FIG. 2. Upstream ends of these branched intake channels
21a are individually connected to a surge tank 21b. A portion of
the intake passage 21 further upstream of the surge tank 21b
constitutes a common intake passage portion 21c which supplies air
to all of the cylinders 12A-12D. Provided in the common intake
passage portion 21c is an intake air quantity regulator including a
throttle valve 23 which is driven by an actuator 24. Also provided
in the common intake passage portion 21c upstream and downstream of
the throttle valve 23 are an airflow sensor 25 for detecting intake
air quantity and outputting a resultant sensing signal to the ECU 2
and an intake air pressure sensor 26 for detecting intake air
pressure (boost pressure) and outputting a resultant sensing signal
to the ECU 2, respectively.
[0047] The engine body 1 is further provided with an alternator
(generator) 28 which is connected to the crankshaft 3 by a timing
belt or the like. The alternator 28 includes a regulator circuit
28a for regulating an output voltage of the alternator 28 by
controlling a current flowing through a field coil (not shown).
With this arrangement, an output current of the alternator 28 is
controlled in accordance with a control signal fed from the ECU 2
to meet a target value determined based on the amount of electric
loads mounted on a vehicle and voltage of an onboard battery under
normal operating conditions.
[0048] The engine further includes a pair of first and second crank
angle sensors 30, 31 for detecting the angle of rotation of the
crankshaft 3. The ECU 2 determines engine speed Ne based on a
sensing signal output from the first crank angle sensor 30. The ECU
2 also determines turning direction and angle of rotation of the
crankshaft 3 from mutually phase-offset sensing signals (first
crank angle signal CA1 and second crank angle signal CA2) output
from the two crank angle sensors 30, 31.
[0049] The engine also includes cam angle sensors 32 provided on
the aforementioned camshafts for detecting specific rotational
positions of the camshafts and outputting cylinder identification
signals and a water temperature sensor 33 for detecting temperature
of engine cooling water. The engine further includes an accelerator
stroke sensor 34 for detecting throttle opening corresponding to
the amount of depression of an accelerator pedal by a driver, a
brake sensor 35 for detecting depression of a brake pedal by the
driver and a vehicle speed sensor 38 for detecting vehicle speed as
shown in FIG. 5. Sensing signals output from these sensors 32-35,
38 are input into the ECU 2.
[0050] FIG. 3 is a diagram generally showing the configuration of a
power train of the present embodiment including the engine body 1
and a drive line up to left and right drive axles 78, 79. The
engine body 1 is connected to an automatic transmission 50 by the
crankshaft 3 which serves as an output shaft of the engine body 1.
When the automatic transmission 50 is in one of forward gears,
rotary motion and engine power are transmitted to the drive axles
78, 79, causing the drive axles 78, 79 to rotate producing a
forward driving force. In FIG. 3, an arrow 3a indicates a forward
turning direction of the crankshaft 3 while arrows 78a and 79a
indicate a forward turning direction of the drive axles 78, 79,
respectively.
[0051] The automatic transmission 50 includes a torque converter 51
connected to the crankshaft 3 and a multi-gear shifting mechanism
52 linked to a turbine shaft 59 which is an output shaft of the
torque converter 51 (or an input shaft of the multi-gear shifting
mechanism 52). The multi-gear shifting mechanism 52 includes a
plurality of friction members 67-71. The automatic transmission 50
can be switched between a drive condition in which the engine power
is transmitted to driving wheels and a neutral condition in which
transmission of the engine power to the driving wheels is
interrupted as a result of engagement and disengagement of these
friction members 67-71.
[0052] The torque converter 51 includes a pump cover 53 connected
to the crankshaft 3, a pump impeller 54 formed as an integral part
of the pump cover 53, a turbine (turbine liner) 55 disposed face to
face with the pump impeller 54, and a stator 58 which is located
between the pump impeller 54 and the turbine 55 and attached to a
transmission housing 57 via a one-way clutch 56. An inner space of
the pump cover 53 is filled with hydraulic fluid or oil, also known
as automatic transmission fluid (ATF), so that a driving force
exerted by the pump impeller 54 is transmitted to the turbine 55 by
the ATF. The driving force is then transmitted to the multi-gear
shifting mechanism 52 through the turbine shaft 59 which is joined
to the turbine 55.
[0053] The transmission housing 57 incorporates a turbine rotation
sensor 36 for detecting turning speed of the turbine 55, the
turbine rotation sensor 36 facing an outer surface of a forward
clutch 67 (referred to simply as the clutch in the appended claims)
which turns together with the turbine shaft 59. More specifically,
the turbine rotation sensor 36 is mounted such that its extreme end
is located at a position facing a curved outer surface of a drum of
the forward clutch 67. The curved outer surface of the drum of the
forward clutch 67 is splined to form a series of ridges and furrows
therearound. As the drum of the forward clutch 67 rotates, the
ridges and furrows formed around the drum induces a periodically
changing voltage in the turbine rotation sensor 36. The turbine
rotation sensor 36 detects periodic changes in the induced voltage
and outputs a sensing signal to the ECU 2, whereby the ECU 2
determines turning speed of the turbine shaft 59, and thus the
turning speed of the turbine 55.
[0054] The pump impeller 54 is connected to a hollow rotating shaft
60 and an oil pump 61 is attached to a rear end (or the end
opposite the engine body 1) of the Oshaft 60. Besides the oil pump
61, there is also provided an electric oil pump 62 (FIG. 5) inside
the transmission housing 57. The two oil pumps 61, 62 are connected
to a hydraulic pressure control mechanism 63 through a directional
control valve 91 (FIG. 5). The directional control valve 91
switches a line pressure source between the oil pump 61 and the
electric oil pump 62 in accordance with a switching signal fed from
the ECU 2. Also, the ECU 2 serves to control engagement and
disengagement of the friction members 67-71 by switching oil
channels (fluid channels) of the hydraulic pressure control
mechanism 63, setting a line pressure (hydraulic pressure supplied
during a period when the friction members 67-71 are engaged) and
controlling a transient hydraulic pressure during engagement and
disengagement of the friction members 67-71.
[0055] The electric oil pump 62 is provided in addition to the oil
pump 61 to supply a sufficient line pressure when it is difficult
to produce a desired level of line pressure by the oil pump 61
alone due to insufficient engine speed during idle stop or in an
initial stage of engine starting. Switching timing of the oil pump
61 and the electric oil pump 62 is preset from this point of
view.
[0056] The torque converter 51 is provided with a lockup clutch 64
which is fitted between the pump cover 53 and the turbine 55 to
directly connect the turbine 55 to the crankshaft 3 through the
pump cover 53. Linked to the oil pump 61 and the electric oil pump
62 through the hydraulic pressure control mechanism 63, the lockup
clutch 64 is engaged and disengaged as various solenoid valves
provided in the hydraulic pressure control mechanism 63 are turned
on and off in a controlled fashion to switch the fluid channels of
the hydraulic pressure control mechanism 63 according to the
vehicle speed.
[0057] On the other hand, the multi-gear shifting mechanism 52
includes first and second planetary gear sets 65, 66 (referred to
collectively as a planetary gear mechanism in the appended claims)
as well as various engagement members (which include the multiple
friction members 67-71, such as clutch plates and band brakes, and
a one-way clutch 72) for altering a power transmitting line
including the first and second planetary gear sets 65, 66. The
individual engagement members 67-72 of the multi-gear shifting
mechanism 52 are engaged or disengaged according to shift range
settings (e.g., a drive (D) range, a neutral (N) range and a
reverse (R) range) to set the automatic transmission 50 to forward
gear, neutral condition or reverse gear, for example.
[0058] As used in the present Specification, the expression "drive
condition" or "neutral condition" does not necessarily refer to a
specific gear shift position, such as "D" or "N" position selected
by a shift control lever, for instance. Instead, either the drive
condition or the neutral condition refers to a substantial state of
the automatic transmission 50 judged based on how transmission of
the engine power is controlled. Accordingly, the neutral condition
includes a condition in which transmission of the engine power
through the automatic transmission 50 is interrupted by controlling
the solenoid valves with the shift control lever held at the D
range position, for instance.
[0059] The first planetary gear set 65 includes a sun gear 65a
(first rotary member), a plurality of (e.g., three) planet gears
65b arranged around the sun gear 65a in mesh therewith, a career
65c supporting the planet gears 65b and a ring gear 65d arranged to
surround the planet gears 65b in mesh therewith. Similarly, the
second planetary gear set 66 includes a sun gear 66a (second rotary
member), a plurality of (e.g., three) planet gears 66b arranged
around the sun gear 66a in mesh therewith, a career 66c supporting
the planet gears 66b and a ring gear 66d arranged to surround the
planet gears 66b in mesh therewith. The ring gear 65d of the first
planetary gear set 65 is connected to the career 66c of the second
planetary gear set 66 while the career 65c of the second planetary
gear set 66 is connected to the ring gear 66d of the second
planetary gear set 66 so that the first and second planetary gear
sets 65, 66 work in an interlocked fashion.
[0060] The aforementioned friction members include the forward
clutch 67 which is disposed between the turbine shaft 59 and the
sun gear 65a of the first planetary gear set 65, a reverse clutch
68 which is disposed between the turbine shaft 59 and the sun gear
66a of the second planetary gear set 66, a 3-4 clutch 69 which is
disposed between the turbine shaft 59 and the career 66c of the
second planetary gear set 66, a 2-4 brake 70 (referred to simply as
the brake in the appended claims) for locking the sun gear 66a of
the second planetary gear set 66, and a low reverse brake 71 for
locking the career 66c of the second planetary gear set 66. The
one-way clutch 72 is a device which allows the ring gear 65d and
the career 66c to turn freely in one direction (i.e., forward
turning direction of the crankshaft 3) but not in the other (i.e.,
reverse turning direction of the crankshaft 3). This means that the
one-way clutch 72 is unlocked in the forward turning direction and
locked in the reverse turning direction. The engagement members
67-72 including these friction members 67-71 are controllably
engaged and disengaged to alter or interrupt the power transmitting
line connected to an output gear 73 (which is referred to as an
output shaft in the appended claims).
[0061] As the output gear 73 rotates, the engine power is
transmitted to the driving wheels (not shown) through transmission
gears 74, 75, 76, a differential gear 77 and the left and right
drive axles 78, 79 which turn together with the driving wheels.
[0062] In the context of this Specification, the expression
"locking" or "locked" means that any constituent element of the
multi-gear shifting mechanism 52 is held immovable with respect to
the transmission housing 57 or a stationary member constituting an
integral part thereof. Although not illustrated in FIG. 3, the
automatic transmission 50 further includes a transmission fluid
temperature sensor 37 for detecting temperature of the ATF and
outputting a resultant sensing signal to the ECU 2.
[0063] FIG. 4 is a chart showing a relationship between
engagement/disengagement states of the individual engagement
members 67-72 and gear shift positions of the automatic
transmission 50. An open circle ".smallcircle." shown in FIG. 4
indicates a state in which the engagement members 67-72 are
engaged, whereas a solid circle ".circle-solid." indicates a state
in which the one-way clutch 72 is locked during forward running to
allow the engine power (forward driving force) to be transmitted
from the engine toward the driving wheels but unlocked during
reverse running to prohibit a reverse driving force from being
transmitted from the driving wheels back toward the engine. Each
blank cell in FIG. 4 indicates that corresponding one of the
engagement members 67-72 is released or unlocked. Accordingly, it
can be seen from FIG. 4 that all of the engagement members 67-72
are released or unlocked in the N range, the forward clutch 67 is
engaged while the one-way clutch 72 is locked in the forward
direction but unlocked in the reverse direction in first gear in
the D range, the forward clutch 67 and the 2-4 brake 70 are engaged
(applied) in second gear in the D range, the forward clutch 67 and
the 3-4 clutch 69 are engaged in third gear in the D range, and the
3-4 clutch 69 and the 2-4 brake 70 are engaged (applied) in fourth
gear in the D range.
[0064] In addition, the automatic transmission 50 of this
embodiment has special mode M. While the special mode M differs
from the N range, the automatic transmission 50 is set to the
neutral condition shifted to the special mode M. In the special
mode M, the 2-4 brake 70 is applied and the one-way clutch 72 is
locked where necessary as indicated by a bracketed solid circle
"(.circle-solid.)" in FIG. 4. Specifically, the one-way clutch 72
is locked when the career 65c or the ring gear 66d begins to turn
in a locking direction, and the one-way clutch 72 is otherwise
unlocked.
[0065] It is to be noted that FIG. 4 does not show all combinations
of shift ranges and gear shift positions of the automatic
transmission 50 but shows only such combinations thereof that are
related directly to explanation of the present embodiment of the
invention.
[0066] FIG. 5 is a block diagram of the engine starting system of
the first embodiment. The ECU 2 includes a microcomputer provided
with a central processing unit (CPU), a read-only memory (ROM) and
a random access memory (RAM). The CPU of the ECU 2 executes a
program stored in the ROM or RAM to control various kinds of
actions of the vehicle. Upon receiving the sensing signals from the
individual sensors 25, 26, 30-38 mentioned above, the ECU 2 outputs
a control signal (pulse signal) for controlling the quantity of
fuel to be injected and fuel injection timing to each fuel injector
16, an ignition timing control signal for controlling ignition
timing to each spark plug 15, a control signal for controlling the
opening of the throttle valve 23 to the actuator 24, and a control
signal for controlling the amount of electric power generated by
the alternator 28 to the regulator circuit 28a.
[0067] Also, based on the sensing signals fed from the sensors 25,
26, 30-36, 38, the ECU 2 outputs the aforementioned switching
signal used for switching the line pressure source of the hydraulic
pressure control mechanism 63 between the oil pump 61 and the
electric oil pump 62 to the directional control valve 91 as well as
control signals for regulating pressures exerted on the individual
friction members 67-71 to the hydraulic pressure control mechanism
63 (more particularly, to the solenoid valves provided in the
hydraulic pressure control mechanism 63).
[0068] The ECU 2 includes an engine stop/restart controller 2a
which causes the engine to automatically stop by interrupting fuel
supply when predefined conditions for automatic engine stop are
satisfied. Also, the engine stop/restart controller 2a causes the
engine to automatically restart with energy produced by combustion
when predefined conditions for engine restart (engine restart
conditions) are satisfied as a result of depression of the
accelerator pedal or the brake pedal during a process of automatic
engine stop or upon completion of automatic engine stop.
[0069] FIG. 6 is part of a shift map showing a gear shifting
pattern of the automatic transmission 50, a horizontal axis
representing vehicle speed (km/h) and a vertical axis representing
the opening of the throttle valve 23, or throttle opening (%). For
the sake of simplification, the gear shifting pattern of FIG. 6
shows only downshift lines covering a downshift from the second
gear to the first gear (2-1 shift), a downshift from the third gear
to the first gear (3-1 shift), a downshift from the third gear to
the second gear (3-2 shift), and a downshift from the fourth gear
to the third gear (4-3 shift). Based on the shift map of FIG. 6,
the ECU 2 selects an optimum gear shift position appropriate for
the vehicle speed and the throttle opening and outputs the control
signals to the solenoid valves of the hydraulic pressure control
mechanism 63. The ECU 2 controllably sets the automatic
transmission 50 to a desired gear shift position in this
fashion.
[0070] As shown in FIG. 6, the 2-1 shift line and the 3-2 shift
line overlap each other in a low throttle opening region. This
indicates that a 3-1 shift is performed in this region. This
arrangement serves to prevent frequent gear shifting, such as 3-2-1
shifts, during deceleration of the vehicle in the low throttle
opening region, thus providing improved driving comfort.
[0071] It is to be noted that there is a case where the automatic
transmission 50 is controlled to perform the 3-2 shift even in the
low throttle opening region as shown by a downshift line (broken
line) 101 in FIG. 6. This situation occurs when the automatic
engine stop conditions are satisfied (or expected to be satisfied)
during deceleration in the third gear. As will be later described
in detail, the automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the special
mode M when the automatic engine stop conditions are satisfied.
Thus, if the automatic engine stop conditions are satisfied (or
expected to be satisfied) during deceleration in the third gear,
the automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the special mode M by
way of the second gear.
[0072] An instance in which the automatic engine stop conditions
are expected to be satisfied is a situation where the automatic
engine stop conditions, except for a condition concerning the
vehicle speed (vehicle speed-related condition), are already fully
satisfied and the vehicle speed-related condition is supposed to be
shortly fulfilled taking into account the rate of decrease in the
vehicle speed (or deceleration). In this situation, a 3-2 shift
vehicle speed V2 at which the automatic transmission 50 is
downshifted from the third gear to the second gear should be set at
a point slightly higher than defined by the aforementioned vehicle
speed-related condition (19 km/h in this embodiment) included in
the automatic engine stop conditions.
[0073] Now, the working of the engine starting system of the first
embodiment is described, starting from operation of the automatic
transmission 50.
[0074] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a power transmission
path through the automatic transmission 50 and turning directions
of the individual elements thereof when the automatic transmission
50 is in the D range-first gear. When referring to the turning
direction of any element of the automatic transmission 50
illustrated in FIG. 7, a counterclockwise direction is regarded as
a "forward turning direction" and a clockwise direction is regarded
as a "reverse turning direction" as viewed obliquely from a frontal
left side. The turbine shaft 59 turns in the forward turning
direction when the engine is under normal operating conditions.
Also, when the vehicle is running ahead, the transmission gear 76
turns in the forward turning direction together with the left and
right drive axles 78, 79.
[0075] When the automatic transmission 50 is in the D range-first
gear as shown in FIG. 7, the turbine shaft 59 turns in the forward
turning direction, and rotary motion and driving force of the
turbine shaft 59 are transmitted to the sun gear 65a via the
forward clutch 67. The rotary motion and driving force are further
transmitted to the planet gears 65b, causing the same to turn in
the reverse turning direction. At this point, the one-way clutch 72
is locked as shown by ".beta." in FIG. 7, so that rotation of the
ring gear 65d in the reverse turning direction is prohibited. In
this situation, the planet gears 65b revolve around the sun gear
65a in the forward turning direction together with the career 65c
while individually turning in the reverse turning direction about
respective support shafts which constitute integral parts of the
career 65c. As the career 65c turns in the forward turning
direction in this way, rotary motion and driving force of the
career 65c in the forward turning direction are transmitted to the
transmission gears 74, 75, 76 via the output gear 73. The rotary
motion and driving force are further transmitted to the left and
right drive axles 78, 79 through the differential gear 77 as can be
seen from FIG. 3.
[0076] Since the career 65c is interlocked with the ring gear 66d,
the ring gear 66d turns in the forward turning direction. Also, the
career 66c is interlocked with the ring gear 65d and the ring gear
65d is held stationary by the one-way clutch 72 which is locked or
by the low reverse brake 71 which is applied as illustrated in FIG.
7, the career 66c is also held stationary. In this situation, the
individual planet gears 66b turn in the forward turning direction,
causing the sun gear 66a which is in mesh with planet gears 66b to
turn in the reverse turning direction.
[0077] When the engine is reversed in the first gear, causing the
crankshaft 3 to turn in the reverse direction, the engine power is
not transmitted to the output gear 73 as the one-way clutch 72 is
unlocked.
[0078] FIG. 8 is a gear speed diagram of the first and second
planetary gear sets 65, 66 schematically showing turning speeds of
the elements of the first and second planetary gear sets 65, 66 in
relation to the turning speed of the input shaft, or the turbine
shaft 59, in the first to fourth gears of the automatic
transmission 50. Four vertical lines in FIG. 8 correspond, from
left to right, to the sun gear 65a (first rotary member), the
career 65c (which turns together with the ring gear 66d and the
output gear 73), the ring gear 65d (which turns together with the
career 66c) and sun gear 66a (second rotary member). Spacings of
these vertical lines are determined uniquely by the number of teeth
on each of the planet gears 65b, 66b. A vertical axis of FIG. 8
represents the ratio (speed ratio) of the turning speed of each
element of the automatic transmission 50 to the turning speed of
the turbine shaft 59, or the turbine turning speed Nt. If the
turning speed of a particular element is equal to the turbine
turning speed Nt, the speed ratio is 1. If a particular element is
held stationary, the speed ratio is 0.
[0079] A first speed line 111 shown in the gear speed diagram of
FIG. 8 corresponds to the D range-first gear illustrated in FIG. 7.
Since the sun gear 65a turns together with the turbine shaft 59 in
the first gear due to engagement of the forward clutch 67, the
speed ratio of the sun gear 65a becomes equal to 1 at an input
point 116. Also, since the ring gear 65d is locked by the one-way
clutch 72, the speed ratio becomes equal to 0 at a stationary point
117. In this case, the speed ratio at an output point 121 (i.e.,
the output gear 73) is between 0 and 1 (e.g., approximately
0.36).
[0080] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a power transmission
path through the automatic transmission 50 and turning directions
of the individual elements thereof when the automatic transmission
50 is in the D range-second gear. The turning direction of any
element of the automatic transmission 50 illustrated in FIG. 9 is
referred to in the same way as in FIG. 7.
[0081] The automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the D
range-second gear if the 2-4 brake 70 is applied in the D
range-first gear in which the forward clutch 67 is engaged as shown
in FIG. 4.
[0082] As already mentioned, the sun gear 66a turns in the reverse
turning direction in the D range-first gear. If the 2-4 brake 70 is
applied in this state, the sun gear 66a stops turning and, as a
consequence, the planet gears 66b revolve around the sun gear 66a
in the forward turning direction together with the career 66c while
individually turning in the forward turning direction about
respective support shafts which constitute integral parts of the
career 66c. In the D range-second gear, the career 66c is
prohibited from turning in the reverse turning direction so that
the career 66c which was held stationary in the D range-first gear
turns in the forward turning direction.
[0083] In this situation, the planet gears 65b revolve around the
sun gear 65a in the forward turning direction together with the
career 65c while individually turning in the reverse turning
direction about the respective support shafts which constitute the
integral parts of the career 65c as in the first gear. However, the
situation in the D range-second gear differs from that in the D
range-first gear in that the turning speed of the career 65c in the
second gear higher than in the first gear because the ring gear 65d
turns in the forward turning direction in the second gear, unlike
the case in the first gear. The turning speed of the turbine shaft
59, however, is lower in the second gear than in the first gear. As
in the D range-first gear, rotary motion and driving force of the
career 65c in the forward turning direction are transmitted to the
transmission gears 74, 75, 76 via the output gear 73.
[0084] When the engine is reversed in the second gear, causing the
crankshaft 3 to turn in the reverse direction, the aforementioned
elements of the automatic transmission 50 turn in opposite
directions so that a reverse driving force is transmitted from the
engine to the output gear 73.
[0085] A second speed line 112 shown in the gear speed diagram of
FIG. 8 represents a state of the automatic transmission 50 in the D
range-second gear illustrated in FIG. 9. Since the sun gear 65a
turns together with the turbine shaft 59 in the second gear due to
engagement of the forward clutch 67, the speed ratio of the sun
gear 65a becomes equal to 1 at the input point 116. Also, since the
sun gear 66a is locked by the 2-4 brake 70, the speed ratio becomes
equal to 0 at a stationary point 118. In this case, the speed ratio
at an output point 122 (i.e., the output gear 73) becomes larger
than in the first gear (e.g., approximately 0.67).
[0086] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a power transmission
path through the automatic transmission 50 and turning directions
of the individual elements thereof when the automatic transmission
50 is in the D range-third gear. The turning direction of any
element of the automatic transmission 50 illustrated in FIG. 10 is
referred to in the same way as in FIG. 7.
[0087] In the D range-third gear, the automatic transmission 50 is
in a state in which both the forward clutch 67 and the 3-4 clutch
69 are engaged as shown in FIG. 4.
[0088] When the automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the D
range-third gear, the turbine shaft 59 turns in the forward turning
direction, and rotary motion and driving force of the turbine shaft
59 are divided into two ways, that is, a first path including the
forward clutch 67 and a second path including the 3-4 clutch 69.
Specifically, part of the driving force is transmitted to the sun
gear 65a through the forward clutch 67 in the first path, and to
the ring gear 65d via the planet gears 65b. This means that the sun
gear 65a, the career 65c and the ring gear 65d turn together as a
single structure at the same turning speed as the turbine shaft 59.
On the other hand, remaining part of the driving force is
transmitted to the career 66c through the 3-4 clutch 69 in the
second path at the same turning speed.
[0089] In this configuration, the two divided parts of the driving
force are rejoined at the ring gear 65d and eventually output from
the career 65c to the output gear 73. After all, the driving force
input through the turbine shaft 59 is output to the output gear 73
at the same turning speed so that the turbine shaft 59 and the
output gear 73 are as if in a directly coupled state. Subsequently,
the rotary motion and driving force are transmitted to the
transmission gears 74, 75, 76 and then to the left and right drive
axles 78, 79 through the differential gear 77 as can be seen from
FIG. 3.
[0090] A third speed line 113 shown in the gear speed diagram of
FIG. 8 represents a state of the automatic transmission 50 in the D
range-third gear illustrated in FIG. 10. Since the sun gear 65a
turns together with the turbine shaft 59 due to engagement of the
forward clutch 67 and the career 66c turns together with the
turbine shaft 59 due to engagement of the 3-4 clutch 69 in the
third gear, the speed ratio becomes equal to 1 at the input point
116 and at an input point 119. In this case, the speed ratio also
becomes equal to 1 at an output point 123 (i.e., the output gear
73) with the 59 and the output gear 73 held in the directly coupled
state.
[0091] While the working of the individual elements of the
automatic transmission 50 in the D range-fourth gear is not
discussed in detail, both the 3-4 clutch 69 and the 2-4 brake 70
are engaged (applied) as shown in FIG. 4 so that the driving force
input through the turbine shaft 59 is transmitted to the career 65c
at a turning speed increased from the turning speed of the turbine
shaft 59 in the D range-fourth gear. The rotary motion and driving
force are further transmitted to the left and right drive axles 78,
79 through the differential gear 77.
[0092] A fourth speed line 114 shown in the gear speed diagram of
FIG. 8 represents a state of the automatic transmission 50 in the D
range-fourth gear. Since the career 66c turns together with the
turbine shaft 59 due to engagement of the 3-4 clutch 69 in the
fourth gear, the speed ratio of the career 66c becomes equal to 1
at the input point 119. Also, since the sun gear 66a is locked by
the 2-4 brake 70, the speed ratio becomes equal to 0 at the
stationary point 118. In this case, the speed ratio at an output
point 124 (i.e., the output gear 73) becomes larger than 1 (e.g.,
approximately 1.38).
[0093] FIG. 11 is a gear speed diagram applicable to the neutral
condition in which the vehicle is at rest (or zero speed). FIG. 11
shows turning speeds of the elements of the first and second
planetary gear sets 65, 66 essentially in the same way as FIG. 8.
It is to be noted that, in the present embodiment, there are two
types of neutral conditions, that is, the ordinary neutral
condition selected in the N range and the neutral condition
selected in the special mode M (refer to FIG. 4).
[0094] First, a speed line 131 applied to the special mode M is
defined by a stationary point 135 where the 2-4 brake 70 is applied
and a stationary point 137 where the vehicle is at rest with the
output gear 73 held stationary. The speed ratio is equal to 0 all
along the speed line 131.
[0095] By comparison, only the stationary point 137 is defined in
the ordinary neutral condition. Accordingly, although there is a
possibility that the speed ratio remains equal to 0 all the way as
with the speed line 131 for the special mode M, this situation does
not occur in actuality but the speed ratio normally varies along an
oblique speed line 132 passing through the stationary point 137 in
the ordinary neutral condition corresponding to the N range.
Generally, the speed line 132 for the ordinary neutral condition
selected in the N range is not uniquely defined. The speed line 132
shown in FIG. 11 is just one example. A reason why the speed line
132 for the ordinary neutral condition selected in the N range
inclines as shown in FIG. 11 is that some of the elements of the
first and second planetary gear sets 65, 66 turn together in the
ordinary neutral condition. In the example shown in FIG. 11, the
career 66c turns together with the turbine shaft 59 so that the
speed ratio is between 0 and 1 at an input point 141. In this case,
the speed ratio of the sun gear 65a is negative so that the sun
gear 65a turns in a direction opposite to the turning direction of
the turbine shaft 59 as indicated by a point 143 in FIG. 11.
[0096] A situation in which the forward clutch 67 is engaged in
each of the aforementioned two types of neutral conditions is now
considered. As is apparent from FIG. 4, the automatic transmission
50 is set to the second gear if the forward clutch 67 is engaged in
the special mode M, whereas the automatic transmission 50 is set to
the first gear if the forward clutch 67 is engaged in the ordinary
neutral condition in the N range. In either of these cases, the
speed ratio of the output gear 73 is equal to 0 and, as a
consequence, the turning direction of the turbine shaft 59 stops
turning (turbine turning speed Nt=0).
[0097] In the case of the special mode M, the sun gear 65a is held
stationary at the beginning (point 139). Thus, it is only necessary
to stop rotary motion of the turbine shaft 59 and other elements
turning integrally therewith by engaging the forward clutch 67, so
that the amount of energy absorbed by the forward clutch 67 is
relatively small.
[0098] In a case where the forward clutch 67 is engaged in the
ordinary neutral condition, on the other hand, it is necessary to
stop not only the rotary motion of the turbine shaft 59 and the
other elements turning integrally therewith but also rotary motion
of the sun gear 65a, 66a, the ring gear 65d, the career 66c and
other elements turning integrally therewith. Referring to the gear
speed diagram of FIG. 11, engagement of the forward clutch 67 in
the ordinary neutral condition in the N range requires absorption
of energy that is sufficient for shifting the inclined speed line
132 for the ordinary neutral condition to a horizontal position.
Therefore, the amount of energy absorbed by the forward clutch 67
is relatively large in this case.
[0099] If the amount of energy to be absorbed is large, the forward
clutch 67 requires a longer time for engagement and a greater shock
load (N-D shock) occurs when the automatic transmission 50 is
shifted from the neutral condition to the drive condition. It will
be understood from the above that both clutch engagement time and
N-D shock can be reduced if the forward clutch 67 is engaged in the
special mode M than in the ordinary neutral condition in the N
range.
[0100] Now, automatic engine stop control operation is described.
FIGS. 12A and 12B are diagrams showing a relationship between a
state of a cylinder 12 which is on a compression stroke at
automatic engine stop (hereinafter referred to as the compression
stroke cylinder 12) and a state of a cylinder 12 which is on an
expansion stroke at automatic engine stop (hereinafter referred to
as the expansion stroke cylinder 12). In the following discussion,
the "compression stroke cylinder 12" does not refer to a particular
cylinder 12 but any one of the four cylinders 12A-12D which is on
the compression stroke or expected to go to the compression stroke
very shortly at engine stop. Similarly, the "expansion stroke
cylinder 12" refers to any of the four cylinders 12A-12D which is
on the expansion stroke or expected to go to the expansion stroke
very shortly at engine stop. FIG. 12A shows a relationship between
positions of the pistons 13 in the compression stroke cylinder 12
and the expansion stroke cylinder 12, and FIG. 12B shows a
relationship between stop position of the piston 13 in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12 and the quantities of air in the
compression stroke cylinder 12 and in the expansion stroke cylinder
12.
[0101] Since the engine of the present embodiment is a four-cycle
spark ignition engine, the compression stroke cylinder 12 and the
expansion stroke cylinder 12 are offset in phase from each other by
as much as 180 degrees in terms of crank angle so that the
positions and moving directions of the pistons 13 in these
cylinders 12 are in opposite phase as depicted in FIG. 12A. More
specifically, when the piston 13 in the compression stroke cylinder
12 moves toward a top dead center (TDC), the piston 13 in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12 moves toward a bottom dead center
(BDC) as shown by open arrows in FIG. 12A.
[0102] To restart the engine which has completely stopped at
automatic engine stop by using this behavior of the pistons 13, the
engine starting system of the present embodiment first produces
combustion in the compression stroke cylinder 12 before producing
combustion in the expansion stroke cylinder 12, so that the piston
13 in the compression stroke cylinder 12 moves down backward toward
BDC but not beyond BDC (thus causing the crankshaft 3 to slightly
turn in the reverse turning direction). The initial combustion in
the compression stroke cylinder 12 also causes the piston 13 in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12 to move backward toward TDC. As a
result of this backward piston movement, the air (a mixture after
fuel injection) in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 is compressed.
The mixture thus compressed in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 is
ignited to produce combustion therein. A resultant strong force
produced by combustion in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 alters
the turning direction of the crankshaft 3 (from the reverse turning
direction to the forward turning direction) and causes the piston
13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 to move toward BDC. It is
possible to obtain a strong forward driving torque by producing
combustion in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 after once reversing
the engine as discussed above than by simply producing combustion
in the expansion stroke cylinder 12. This arrangement of the
embodiment makes it possible to achieve improved engine
restartability.
[0103] Although the engine starting system of the embodiment is
configured to properly restart the engine by just igniting the fuel
injected into a particular cylinder 12 as mentioned above without
using a starter motor, for instance, combustion energy obtained by
combustion of the mixture in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 is
not entirely output through the crankshaft 3. The combustion energy
is partly consumed to allow those cylinders 12 (the compression
stroke cylinder 12 and intake stroke cylinder 12 in this
embodiment) which approach the compression stroke TDC after the
compression stroke cylinder 12 to go beyond the compression stroke
TDC overwhelming a compressive reaction force acting on the
respective pistons 13. Therefore, a driving force for turning the
crankshaft 3 in the forward turning direction must be left even
after part of the combustion energy is consumed to allow those
cylinders 12 to go beyond the compression stroke TDC. For this
purpose, it is necessary for the expansion stroke cylinder 12 to
initially hold a sufficient amount of air at engine stop. On the
other hand, it is necessary for the compression stroke cylinder 12
to initially hold such an amount of air that is sufficient to
compress the air in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 by turning the
crankshaft 3 in the reverse turning direction at the beginning.
[0104] In FIG. 12B, a horizontal axis represents the stop position
of the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 in terms of
crank angle after TDC (ATDC) in degrees and a vertical axis
represents the quantities of air in the compression stroke cylinder
12 and in the expansion stroke cylinder 12. FIG. 12B shows a
situation in which a slight period of time has passed after engine
stop, so that the quantities of air graphed in FIG. 12B are
obtained under conditions where the individual cylinders 12 are
approximately at atmospheric pressure. Since the positions and
moving directions of the pistons 13 in the compression stroke
cylinder 12 and the expansion stroke cylinder 12 are in opposite
phase as mentioned above, the quantity of air in one of these
cylinders 12 decreases with the piston 13 moving toward TDC when
the quantity of air in the other increases with the piston 13
moving toward BDC.
[0105] In order to obtain a large amount of combustion energy from
the expansion stroke cylinder 12 while obtaining a certain amount
of combustion energy form the compression stroke cylinder 12, it
would be preferable if it is possible to cause the piston 13 in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12 to stop at a position slightly closer
to BDC than a midpoint of the expansion stroke, or within a range
of 100 degrees to 120 degrees ATDC as indicated by a range R in
FIG. 12B, for example. This range R is hereinafter referred to as
an appropriate piston stop range.
[0106] While there exist a variety of practical control methods for
stopping the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12 in the
appropriate piston stop range R, the engine stop/restart controller
2a of the present embodiment controllably increases or decreases
the intake air quantity to achieve this objective mainly by
regulating the opening of the throttle valve 23 as will be later
described in detail.
[0107] FIG. 13 is a time chart showing how the engine is
automatically stopped, a horizontal axis representing time t
(second) and a vertical axis representing both the engine speed Ne
(rpm) and the turbine turning speed Nt (rpm). Now, an outline of
engine stop/restart control operation performed by the engine
stop/restart controller 2a is described with reference to an engine
speed curve 150 and a turbine speed curve 151 shown in FIG. 13. One
main purpose of the engine stop/restart control operation is to cut
off fuel supply at a point in time t3 after a point in time t0 when
idle stop conditions (automatic engine stop conditions) are
satisfied, and to cause the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12 to stop within the appropriate piston stop range R at a
point in time t10 when the engine completely stops as a result of
the automatic engine stop control operation. Another main purpose
of the engine stop/restart control operation is to restart the
engine instantly and smoothly by producing combustion at least in
the expansion stroke cylinder 12 as indicated by an engine speed
curve 156 when the aforementioned engine restart conditions are
satisfied as a result of a subsequent engine restart request
entered by depression of the accelerator pedal, for instance, at a
point in time t11. Still another main purpose of the engine
stop/restart control operation is to restart the engine as soon as
possible as indicated by an engine speed curve 155, for instance,
if an engine restart request is made between the point in time t0
and the point in time t10. The engine stop/restart control
operation will be later discussed in further detail with reference
to flowcharts.
[0108] FIG. 14 is a time chart particularly showing details of the
automatic engine stop control operation, horizontal axes
representing time t (second) and vertical axes representing the
engine speed Ne (rpm), throttle opening K (%) and boost pressure Bt
(mmHg) over successive strokes of the individual cylinders 12A-12D.
As illustrated in FIG. 14, the cylinder 12A is on the expansion
stroke when the engine completely stops at the point in time t10.
For the convenience of explanation, the following discussion is
based on the assumption that the cylinder 12A is the expansion
stroke cylinder 12A. Similarly, the cylinder 12C on the compression
stroke at complete engine stop is referred to as the compression
stroke cylinder 12C, the cylinder 12D on the intake stroke at
complete engine stop is referred to as the intake stroke cylinder
12D, and the cylinder 12B on the exhaust stroke at complete engine
stop is referred to as the exhaust stroke cylinder 12B in the
following discussion.
[0109] When the idle stop conditions are satisfied at the point in
time t0, the engine stop/restart controller 2a performs a series of
prescribed operations (which will be later described) and, then,
preparatory operation for fuel cut-off. Specifically, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a sets a target engine speed N1 (e.g.,
N1=860 rpm) of the engine speed Ne and regulates the boost pressure
Bt by adjusting the throttle opening K such that the boost pressure
Bt matches a specific target value (e.g., -400 to -600 mmHg). At
the same time, the engine stop/restart controller 2a retards
ignition timing so that the engine speed Ne would not increase
excessively. The amount of ignition timing retardation is fed back
so that the engine speed Ne becomes equal to the target engine
speed N1.
[0110] When the engine speed Ne becomes equal to the target engine
speed N1 and the boost pressure Bt reaches the aforementioned
target value, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges that
conditions for fuel cut-off (fuel cut-off conditions) have been
satisfied. Then, the engine stop/restart controller 2a increases
the throttle opening K to approximately 30%, for instance, and cuts
off fuel injection (point in time t3).
[0111] When the fuel injection is interrupted at the point in time
t3, kinetic energy possessed by the crankshaft 3 and other elements
is consumed by mechanical loss due to frictional resistance and by
pumping work of the individual cylinders 12A-12D. Consequently, the
crankshaft 3 of the engine stops after turning several times by
inertia. In the four-cycle spark ignition engine of the embodiment,
the crankshaft 3 stops turning after the pistons 13 have gone
through approximately ten successive compression stroke TDCs.
[0112] The stop position of the piston 13 in each cylinder 12 is
generally determined by a balance between the quantity of air in
the expansion stroke cylinder 12A and the quantity of air in the
compression stroke cylinder 12C immediately before complete engine
stop. Additionally, the stop position of the piston 13 in each
cylinder 12 is affected by frictional resistance in the engine as
well as by rotational inertia of the engine, or engine speed N6 at
a point in time t6 when the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12A lastly goes beyond the compression stroke TDC.
[0113] Therefore, to cause the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12A to stop within the aforementioned appropriate piston
stop range R, it is necessary to regulate the quantities of air
introduced into the cylinders 12A and 12C while supplying
sufficient air into the two cylinders 12A and 12C such that the
quantity of air in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A eventually
becomes larger than the quantity of air in the compression stroke
cylinder 12C.
[0114] To achieve this objective, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a first sets the throttle opening K at a large value
(e.g., approximately 30% of a full throttle position) to increase
the boost pressure Bt at the point in time t3 when the fuel supply
is cut off. Then, after specific quantities of air have been
introduced into the expansion stroke cylinder 12A and the
compression stroke cylinder 12C, the engine stop/restart controller
2a decreases the throttle opening K to regulate the quantities of
air introduced into the two cylinders 12A and 12C as stated above
at a point in time t5 when it is verified that the engine speed Ne
has dropped to a preset reference engine speed N2 (e.g.,
approximately 790 rpm).
[0115] The inventors conducted experiments in which the fuel
injection was interrupted at the point in time t3 when the engine
speed Ne became equal to the target engine speed N1, and the
throttle valve 23 was subsequently held at the full throttle
position for a specific period of time. Under such conditions, the
inventors measured TDC engine speed ne, which is the engine speed
measured when any of the pistons 13 in the cylinders 12A-12D moving
by inertia just goes beyond the compression stroke TDC, and
examined the stop position of the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12A at a point of engine stop. Results of these
experiments indicate that the stop position of the piston 13 in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12A lies in the appropriate piston stop
range R (FIG. 12B) if TDC engine speeds ne measured at points of
sixth to second TDCs preceding the point of engine stop fall within
particular ranges which are shown by hatching in FIG. 15.
[0116] To ensure that the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12A eventually stops in the appropriate piston stop range
R, the engine speed Ne should be controlled to decrease such that
the TDC engine speed ne falls within the aforementioned particular
ranges hatched in FIG. 15 at the points of the sixth to second TDCs
preceding the point of engine stop. It is therefore preferable to
preclude any disturbances to the crankshaft 3 as much as possible
during the process of automatic engine stop for performing such
delicate control operation.
[0117] Under such circumstances, the engine stop/restart controller
2a of the ECU 2 of the present embodiment shifts the automatic
transmission 50 from the drive condition in the D range to the
neutral condition in the special mode M before the point in time t3
when the fuel supply is cut off to substantially isolate the
crankshaft 3 from any influence from a driving wheel side during
the engine stop control operation. This approach of the embodiment
makes it possible to stop the pistons 13 at desired positions with
higher precision by the engine stop control operation and thereby
achieve improved engine restartability. Since the engine
stop/restart controller 2a of the ECU 2 controls the engine to stop
the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A within the
aforementioned appropriate piston stop range R with high accuracy
even when the vehicle is running, it is possible to execute
automatic engine stop more often whenever desired. This allows more
reductions in fuel consumption and CO.sub.2 emissions.
[0118] Additionally, the engine stop/restart controller 2a of the
ECU 2 controls a load exerted on the crankshaft 3 such that the TDC
engine speed ne successively falls within the aforementioned
particular ranges shown by hatching in FIG. 15. Specifically, the
load exerted on the crankshaft 3 is controlled by properly
increasing and/or decreasing the amount of electric power generated
by the alternator 28.
[0119] As the engine speed Ne gradually decreases after the point
in time t3 when the fuel supply was cut off, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a successively reads out the TDC engine
speed ne. At the point in time t6 when the TDC engine speed ne
becomes lower than the engine speed N6, which is referred to also
as last TDC judgment threshold N6 (set at N6=260 rpm, for example),
the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges that the piston 13 in
the expansion stroke cylinder 12A is at the last compression stroke
TDC (last TDC). While the pistons 13 in the individual cylinders
12A-12D slightly move even after the point in time t6, none of the
pistons 13 goes into further strokes beyond a succeeding TDC or
BDC.
[0120] Although not mentioned in the later discussed flowcharts,
the throttle opening K may be increased again after the point in
time t6 as illustrated. If the throttle opening K is re-increased,
the boost pressure Bt increases, so that flow resistance of intake
air into the intake stroke cylinder 12D decreases, resulting in a
reduction in the load exerted on the crankshaft 3. This allows the
pistons 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A and the compression
stroke cylinder 12C to move smoothly and, as a consequence, it
becomes easier to cause the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12A to stop within the appropriate piston stop range R.
Since none of the pistons 13 in the individual cylinders 12A-12D
goes into further strokes after the point in time t6 as mentioned
above, the intake valves 19 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A
and the compression stroke cylinder 12C do not open any longer.
Therefore, even if the boost pressure Bt is increased, there occurs
no change in the already well-balanced quantities of air in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12A and the compression stroke cylinder
12C.
[0121] After the point in time t6, the pistons 13 in the individual
cylinders 12A-12D move up and down several times and stop
completely at the point in time t10. The engine stop/restart
controller 2a monitors the behavior of the pistons 13 during a
period from the point in time t6 (last TDC) to the point in time
t10 (engine stop) using the crank angle signals CA1, CA2 fed from
the crank angle sensors 30, 31 and detects stop positions of the
pistons 13.
[0122] FIG. 16 is a flowchart showing a piston stop position
detecting routine for detecting the stop position of the piston 13
in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A. Upon commencement of the
piston stop position detecting routine, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a first judges, based on the first crank angle signal
CA1 fed from the first crank angle sensor 30 and the second crank
angle signal CA2 fed from the second crank angle sensor 31, whether
the second crank angle signal CA2 is Low at each rising edge of the
first crank angle signal CA1 (High at each falling edge of the
first crank angle signal CA1) in step S1. In other words, the
engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether the first and
second crank angle signals CA1, CA2 are phase-offset as shown in
FIG. 17A indicating that the engine is running in a forward
direction or the first and second crank angle signals CA1, CA2 are
phase-offset as shown in FIG. 17B indicating that the engine is
running in a reverse direction in step S1.
[0123] More specifically, when the engine runs in the forward
direction, the second crank angle signal CA2 lags the first crank
angle signal CA1 in phase by about half a pulselength and,
therefore, the second crank angle signal CA2 becomes Low at the
rising edge of each successive pulse of the first crank angle
signal CA1 and High at the falling edge of each successive pulse of
the first crank angle signal CA1 as shown in FIG. 17A. When the
engine runs in the reverse direction, on the contrary, the second
crank angle signal CA2 leads the first crank angle signal CA1 in
phase by about half the pulselength and, therefore, the second
crank angle signal CA2 becomes High at the rising edge of each
successive pulse of the first crank angle signal CA1 and Low at the
falling edge of each successive pulse of the first crank angle
signal CA1 as shown in FIG. 17B.
[0124] If the judgment result in step S1 is in the affirmative, the
engine stop/restart controller 2a increments a count value of a
crank angle counter for measuring changes in the crank angle (step
S2). If the judgment result in step S1 is in the negative, on the
contrary, the engine stop/restart controller 2a decrements the
count value of the crank angle counter (step S3). Upon completing
the process of automatic engine stop, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a determines, or calculates, the stop position of the
piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A from the count value
of the crank angle counter (step S4).
[0125] Now, the engine stop/restart control operation performed by
the engine stop/restart controller 2a is described in detail
together with the working of the automatic transmission 50 with
reference to the flowcharts shown in the accompanying drawings. The
following discussion includes a description of a case where an
engine restart request is made before the engine completely
stops.
[0126] FIG. 18 is a flowchart generally showing a main routine
including an engine stop/restart control operation subroutine
performed by the engine stop/restart controller 2a.
[0127] Upon commencement of the main routine of FIG. 18, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a judges whether the idle stop conditions
(automatic engine stop conditions) have been satisfied during
execution of ordinary control operation based on the sensing
signals fed from the earlier-mentioned various sensors (step S6).
For example, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges that the
idle stop conditions have been satisfied at fulfillment of all such
conditions as the accelerator pedal is released, the brake pedal is
depressed, the vehicle speed is 19 km/h or less (including zero
speed), steering angle is equal to or smaller than a specific
value, turn signals are all off, battery voltage is equal to or
higher than a specific value, temperature in an engine room is 10
degrees Centigrade or less (as measured near the battery) and ATF
temperature is 40 degrees Centigrade or above.
[0128] If the judgment result in step S6 is in the affirmative, the
engine stop/restart controller 2a proceeds to step S7 and performs
the engine stop/restart control operation subroutine which will be
later described in great detail. Briefly stated, the engine
stop/restart control operation subroutine includes the
earlier-mentioned automatic engine stop control operation for
automatically stopping the engine by interrupting the fuel supply
necessary for continued engine operation and engine restart control
operation for automatically restarting the engine by producing
combustion at least in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A when the
engine restart conditions are satisfied after automatic engine
stop. After executing the engine stop/restart control operation
subroutine, the engine stop/restart controller 2a proceeds to step
S8 to resume the ordinary control operation. If the judgment result
in step S6 is in the negative, the engine stop/restart controller
2a directly returns to the ordinary control operation.
[0129] FIGS. 19 to 21 are flowcharts together showing the engine
stop/restart control operation subroutine executed in step S7 of
FIG. 18. In the following discussion, already described parts of
the automatic engine stop control operation will not be explained
again as appropriate. Also, the points in time t0 through t11
mentioned in the following discussion correspond to those shown in
FIGS. 13 and 14.
[0130] For the sake of simplicity in the following discussion, it
is assumed that the automatic transmission 50 is in the first gear
when the idle stop conditions (automatic engine stop conditions)
are satisfied.
[0131] When the idle stop conditions are satisfied and the engine
stop/restart controller 2a begins to execute the engine
stop/restart control operation subroutine (point in time t0), the
engine stop/restart controller 2a causes the automatic transmission
50 to shift to the special mode M. Specifically, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a issues a 2-4 brake application command
and resets a timer Tm1 (step S11). Next, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a judges whether an engine restart request has been
made (step S13). To be more specific, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a judges that the engine restart request has been made
when the predefined engine restart conditions (for example,
fulfillment of at least one of such conditions as the accelerator
pedal is depressed, the brake pedal is released and the battery
voltage is lower than the specific value) have been satisfied.
[0132] If the judgment result in step S13 is in the negative
indicating that there has been made no engine restart request, the
engine stop/restart controller 2a proceeds to step S15 to judge
whether the timer Tm1 has reached a first preset time count Ta (set
at Ta=0.3 s, for example). If the judgment result in step S15 is in
the negative, the engine stop/restart controller 2a returns to step
S13. If the judgment result in step S15 is in the affirmative
indicating that the preset time count Ta has elapsed after the 2-4
brake application command, the engine stop/restart controller 2a
issues a forward clutch release command to the automatic
transmission 50 in step S17 (point in time t1). Upon receiving this
command, the automatic transmission 50 releases the forward clutch
67 (point in time t2). When the forward clutch 67 is released, the
turbine turning speed Nt increases (approaches the engine speed Ne)
as shown in FIG. 13. The aforementioned time count Ta defines a
time lag which is set to ensure that the forward clutch 67 is
completely released after the 2-4 brake 70 has been completely
applied.
[0133] As a result, the automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the
special mode M in which the forward clutch 67 is released and the
2-4 brake 70 is applied. As previously mentioned, the automatic
transmission 50 is set to the neutral condition when shifted to the
special mode M. Therefore, disturbances to the engine from the
driving wheel side are substantially interrupted from the point in
time t2 onward, thus allowing execution of the automatic engine
stop control operation in a stable fashion.
[0134] In step S19, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges
again whether an engine restart request has been made as in step
S13. If the judgment result in step S19 is in the negative, the
engine stop/restart controller 2a proceeds to step S21 to carry out
the earlier-described preparatory operation for fuel cut-off.
Specifically, the engine stop/restart controller 2a sets the target
engine speed N1 of the engine speed Ne and regulates the boost
pressure Bt by adjusting the throttle opening K such that the boost
pressure Bt matches the aforementioned specific target value. At
the same time, the engine stop/restart controller 2a retards the
ignition timing.
[0135] The engine stop/restart controller 2a judges that the fuel
cut-off conditions have been satisfied when the engine speed Ne
becomes equal to the target engine speed N1 and the boost pressure
Bt reaches the aforementioned target value (Yes in step S23 at the
point in time t3). When the fuel cut-off conditions have been
satisfied, the engine stop/restart controller 2a increases the
throttle opening K in step S25 and cuts off fuel injection in step
S27.
[0136] In succeeding step S29, the engine stop/restart controller
2a judges again whether an engine restart request has been made as
in step S13. If the judgment result in step S29 is in the
affirmative, the engine stop/restart controller 2a sets an inertial
switchback action flag F1 (of which default value is "0") to "1" in
step S31. Here, "inertial switchback action" refers to a
back-and-forth motion of the engine produced immediately before
engine stop. The engine starting system of the embodiment enables
the engine to restart smoothly by using inertia produced when the
engine once reversed resumes forward running if the engine restart
request is made before complete engine stop as shown by the engine
speed curve 155 in FIG. 13. If the inertial switchback action flag
F1 is set to "1," the engine can restart successfully by using the
inertial switchback action in the subsequent engine restart control
operation except in a few exceptional cases.
[0137] In step S33 of FIG. 20 which follows step S29 or step S31 of
FIG. 19, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether the
engine speed Ne has dropped to the reference engine speed N2
(preset to approximately 790 rpm). If the engine speed Ne is judged
to have dropped to the preset reference engine speed N2 in step S33
(point in time t5), the engine stop/restart controller 2a decreases
the opening K of the throttle valve 23 in step S35.
[0138] Next, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether
the engine speed Ne has dropped to an N-D shift engine speed N3
(preset to approximately 750 rpm) in step S37. At a point in time
t4 when the engine speed Ne is judged to have dropped to the preset
N-D shift engine speed N3 in step S37, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a performs special clutch engagement control operation.
Specifically, the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues a
forward clutch engagement command to the automatic transmission 50
which is currently in the special mode M in step S39 to engage the
forward clutch 67.
[0139] When the engine stop/restart controller 2a initiates the
special clutch engagement control operation, the forward clutch 67
begins to engage. In carrying out the special clutch engagement
control operation, the engine stop/restart controller 2a aims to
control the automatic transmission 50 in such a fashion that the
forward clutch 67 begins to substantially engage at a point in time
t7 (or substantial engagement starting point when the forward
clutch 67 begins to transmit engine torque in actuality) set at or
after the point in time t6 of the last TDC and to complete
engagement during a period of initial engine reversing (or at an
engagement ending point) between a point in time t8 and a point in
time t9 shown in FIG. 13. The aforementioned N-D shift engine speed
N3 is preset to a value which has already been verified from
experimental results, for instance, as being suitable for achieving
the above aim of the special clutch engagement control operation
with respect to the engagement starting point and the engagement
ending point. Generally, the period of time required for engagement
of the forward clutch 67 more or less varies with the ATF
temperature. Thus, in carrying out the special clutch engagement
control operation, the engine stop/restart controller 2a may detect
the ATF temperature based on the sensing signal of fed from the
transmission fluid temperature sensor 37, for instance, and adjust
the N-D shift engine speed N3 according to the ATF temperature.
[0140] When the forward clutch 67 is engaged by the special clutch
engagement control operation, the automatic transmission 50 is
shifted from the neutral condition to the drive condition (second
gear in the present embodiment). This transmission shifting from
the neutral condition to the drive condition differs from an
ordinary N-D shift in that the forward clutch 67 is engaged under
conditions where the automatic transmission 50 is in the special
mode M. As previously mentioned, it possible to reduce the amount
of energy absorbed by the forward clutch 67 at clutch engagement,
and thus the clutch engagement time, if the forward clutch 67 is
engaged when the automatic transmission 50 is in the special mode
M. The aforementioned special clutch engagement control operation
of the embodiment is therefore advantageous for quick engine
restart as well as for reducing the N-D shock, or abrupt torque
variations at the N-D shift.
[0141] If the substantial engagement starting point of the forward
clutch 67 is set at or after the point in time t6 of the last TDC
as mentioned above, it is possible to keep the automatic
transmission 50 in the neutral condition during a period preceding
the point in time t6 when it is particularly desirable to preclude
disturbances to the crankshaft 3 in the process of automatic engine
stop. This enables more stable execution of the automatic engine
stop control operation.
[0142] Reverting to the flowchart of FIG. 20, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a judges after step S39 whether the engine
speed Ne has dropped to a specific engine speed N4 (Ne<N4) in
step S41 and to a specific engine speed N5 (Ne<N5) in step S43.
As an example, the specific engine speed N4 and the specific engine
speed N5 are set to 650 rpm and 400 rpm (N4=650 rpm, N5=400 rpm),
respectively. If N4>Ne>N5 (Yes in step S41 and No in step
S43), the engine stop/restart controller 2a executes alternator
control operation in step S45.
[0143] The alternator control operation performed by the engine
stop/restart controller 2a is intended to increase and/or decrease
the amount of electric power generated by the alternator 28 by
properly controlling the regulator circuit 28a. By increasing
and/or decreasing the amount of electric power generated by the
alternator 28, the engine stop/restart controller 2a regulates the
load exerted on the crankshaft 3. This in effect permits the engine
stop/restart controller 2a to adjust engine deceleration, or the
rate of reduction in the engine speed Ne. Specifically, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a increases and/or decreases the amount of
electric power generated by the alternator 28 such that the engine
speed Ne drops along a predefined deceleration pattern as
previously discussed with reference to FIG. 15. The engine
stop/restart controller 2a enables the piston 13 in the expansion
stroke cylinder 12A to eventually stop within the earlier-mentioned
appropriate piston stop range R (FIG. 12B) with higher probability
by performing the alternator control operation as discussed
above.
[0144] When the engine speed Ne becomes lower than the specific
engine speed N5 (Yes in step S43, or Ne<N5), the engine
stop/restart controller 2a completes the alternator control
operation and proceeds to step S47.
[0145] In step S47, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges
whether the engine is still before a timing for producing the
aforementioned inertial switchback action (inertial switchback
action timing). The inertial switchback action timing may be
regarded as a timing at which the engine stop/restart controller 2a
judges whether the engine is ready to produce the inertial
switchback action or as a timing at which the engine stop/restart
controller 2a causes the engine to produce the inertial switchback
action when the engine is ready to produce the inertial switchback
action. In this embodiment, the inertial switchback action timing
is set at the point in time t9 when the engine completes initial
reversing motion immediately before engine stop or at a point
immediately preceding the point in time t9.
[0146] If it is judged that the engine is before the inertial
switchback action timing t9 (Yes in step S47), the engine
stop/restart controller 2a returns to step S29 of FIG. 19 and
reexecutes steps S29 through step S47. Similarly, if the judgment
result in step S33, S37, S41 or S43 is in the negative (the
alternator control operation is in progress), the engine
stop/restart controller 2a returns to step S29 of FIG. 19 and
reexecutes steps S29 through step S47. If the engine restart
request is made (Yes in step S29) during this cyclical operation,
the engine stop/restart controller 2a sets the inertial switchback
action flag F1 to "1" in step S31.
[0147] If the inertial switchback action timing t9 is reached and
the-judgment result in step S47 is in the negative, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a proceeds to step S51 of FIG. 21 and
judges whether the inertial switchback action flag F1 is set to "1"
or not. If the inertial switchback action flag F1 is not "1" (No in
step S51), the engine stop/restart controller 2a does not cause the
engine to produce the inertial switchback action because the engine
restart request has not been made yet.
[0148] In succeeding step S53, the engine stop/restart controller
2a judges whether the forward clutch 67 has been completely
engaged. Specifically, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges
that the forward clutch 67 has been completely engaged if the
turbine turning speed Nt has a value corresponding to the current
vehicle speed and gear shift position. As already mentioned, the
automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the second gear when the
forward clutch 67 is engaged by the special clutch engagement
control operation in this embodiment. The turbine turning speed Nt
is proportional to the vehicle speed and a constant of this
proportionality is uniquely determined by such parameters as tire
diameter and second gear ratio. Therefore, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a can judge that the forward clutch 67 has been
completely engaged if the turbine turning speed Nt has reached the
value corresponding to the current vehicle speed and gear shift
position. In the present embodiment, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a judges that the forward clutch 67 has been completely
engaged when the turbine turning speed Nt is 0 rpm at a vehicle
speed of 0 km/h (at reset) and when the turbine turning speed Nt is
approximately 560 rpm at a vehicle speed of 10 km/h, for
example.
[0149] If it is difficult for the engine stop/restart controller 2a
to judge whether the forward clutch 67 has been completely engaged
in a way described above, the embodiment may be modified to use a
different judgment criterion or method. For example, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a may judge that the forward clutch 67 has
been completely engaged when a specific period of time (e.g., 0.4
second) has elapsed after the forward clutch release command was
issued.
[0150] The above method of judging completion of engagement of the
forward clutch 67 discussed in step S53 is similarly applied to
other steps (steps S73, S85 and S87) which will be described in the
following.
[0151] If the forward clutch 67 is judged to have been completely
engaged (Yes in step S53), the engine stop/restart controller 2a
immediately issues a 2-4 brake release command to release the 2-4
brake 70 in step S55. If the forward clutch 67 is judged to have
not been completely engaged (No in step S53), the engine
stop/restart controller 2a waits until the forward clutch 67
performs the same operation in step S55. When the 2-4 brake 70 is
completely released, the automatic transmission 50 is shifted to
the first gear in which only the forward clutch 67 is engaged.
[0152] After step S55, the engine stop/restart controller 2a waits
until the engine completely stops (Yes in step S57) and then the
engine stop/restart controller 2a waits for an engine restart
request in step S59. At a point in time when the engine restart
request is made (Yes in step S59), the engine stop/restart
controller 2a executes engine restart control operation to be
performed after complete engine stop in step S61 as shown by the
engine speed curve 156 in FIG. 13.
[0153] Here, the engine restart control operation (step S61) to be
performed after complete engine stop is described with reference to
time charts of FIGS. 22 and 23. In this connection, it is to be
noted that the invention is not limited to the engine restart
control operation depicted in FIGS. 22 and 23 but may employ
another type of engine restart control operation which is known in
the prior art.
[0154] Referring to FIGS. 22 and 23, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a first causes the fuel injector 16 of the compression
stroke cylinder (third cylinder) 12C to inject the fuel thereinto
(initial fuel injection J2) and then causes the spark plug 15 of
the same cylinder 12C to ignite a mixture produced therein as
marked by (1) in FIG. 22. With the aid of combustion pressure (part
"a" shown in FIG. 23) produced by this combustion (1), the piston
13 in the compression stroke cylinder 12C is forced down toward
BDC, causing the engine to run in the reverse direction.
[0155] Consequently, the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder
(first cylinder) 12A begins to move upward toward TDC. When the
piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A moves upward, air in
the expansion stroke cylinder 12A is compressed. At a point in time
when the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A has
approached TDC (preferably, closer to TDC than a mid-stroke
position), compressing the air in the cylinder 12A, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a causes the fuel injector 16 of the
cylinder 12A to inject the fuel thereinto (fuel injection J1). The
fuel injected into the expansion stroke cylinder 12A serves to
reduce compressive force in the cylinder 12A due to latent heat
absorption. As a result, the piston 13 in the expansion stroke
cylinder 12A approaches further toward TDC, so that the density of
the compressed air (mixture) in the cylinder 12A increases (part
"b" shown in FIG. 23).
[0156] At a point in time when the piston 13 in the expansion
stroke cylinder 12A has sufficiently approached TDC, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a causes the spark plug 15 of the same
cylinder 12A to ignite the mixture produced therein to cause
combustion marked by (2) in FIG. 22, thereby driving the engine to
run in the forward direction with combustion pressure produced in
the expansion stroke cylinder 12A (part "c" shown in FIG. 23).
[0157] Subsequently, the engine stop/restart controller 2a causes
the fuel injector 16 of the compression stroke cylinder 12C to
inject the fuel thereinto with proper timing marked by (3) in FIG.
22 (fuel injection J3) to produce a mixture of an air-fuel ratio
lower than an air-fuel ratio which can produce combustion. Although
the fuel thus injected into the compression stroke cylinder 12C is
not combusted in this cylinder 12C, the injected fuel serves to
reduce compressive force in the compression stroke cylinder 12C due
to latent heat absorption (part "d" shown in FIG. 23). As a
consequence, the amount of initial combustion energy of the
expansion stroke cylinder 12A consumed by the piston 13 in the
compression stroke cylinder 12C for going beyond a first
compression stroke TDC after the beginning of the engine restart
control operation is decreased.
[0158] Furthermore, since timing of fuel injection J4 into the
intake stroke cylinder 12D in which next combustion will be made is
set at a proper point marked by (4) in FIG. 22 in the middle part
of the compression stroke or later, for instance, the point (4)
being appropriate for reducing in-cylinder temperature and
compressive force by latent heat absorption, it is possible to
prevent autoignition (spontaneous combustion) on the compression
stroke (before the compression stroke TDC) of the intake stroke
cylinder 12D. Also, since ignition timing for the intake stroke
cylinder 12D is set at a point corresponding to the compression
stroke TDC or later (part "e" shown in FIG. 23), it is possible to
prevent combustion in the intake stroke cylinder 12D before the
compression stroke TDC. Since the fuel injection J4 into the intake
stroke cylinder 12D serves to reduce the compressive force and a
mixture produced in the same cylinder 12D is not combusted before
the compression stroke TDC, it is possible to prevent the initial
combustion energy of the expansion stroke cylinder 12A from being
consumed by the piston 13 in the intake stroke cylinder 12D for
going beyond a second compression stroke TDC after the beginning of
the engine restart control operation.
[0159] It will be understood from above that the pistons 13 in the
compression stroke cylinder 12C and the intake stroke cylinder 12D
can go beyond the first and second compression stroke TDCs after
the beginning of the engine restart control operation,
respectively, by using the energy produced by the initial
combustion in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A marked by (2) in
FIG. 22. This feature of the embodiment serves to ensure smooth and
reliable engine restart. Upon completion of the above-described
engine restart control operation (step S61), the engine returns to
normal operating conditions.
[0160] The foregoing discussion of the flowcharts of FIGS. 19 to 21
has been confined to a case where no engine restart request is made
until the engine completely stops and the engine is restarted in
accordance with an engine restart request made after complete
engine stop. The following discussion deals with cases where the
engine restart request is made before the engine completely
stops.
[0161] Firstly, a case where it is judged that an engine restart
request has been made in step S13 is discussed. This situation
occurs when the engine restart request is made during a period 161
shown in FIG. 13. Since the 2-4 brake 70 has just begun to apply in
this case, the engine stop/restart controller 2a immediately
interrupts application of the 2-4 brake 70 and resumes the ordinary
control operation.
[0162] Specifically, the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues a
2-4 brake release command and resets a timer Tm2 in step S75. Next,
the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether the timer Tm2
has reached a second preset time count Tb (set at Tb=0.2 s, for
example) in step S77. If the judgment result in step S77 is in the
affirmative indicating that the preset time count Tb has elapsed
after the 2-4 brake release command, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a proceeds to step S79 to terminate the engine
stop/restart control operation and return to the ordinary control
operation. The time count Tb defines a period of time which would
be required for releasing the 2-4 brake 70. For example, this
period of time is experimentally determined and preset as the time
count Tb.
[0163] Secondly, a case where it is judged that an engine restart
request has been made in step S19 is discussed. This situation
occurs when the engine restart request is made during a period 162
shown in FIG. 13. Since the 2-4 brake 70 has begun to apply and the
forward clutch 67 has begun to disengage in this case, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a immediately interrupts application of
the 2-4 brake 70 and the forward clutch 67 and resumes the ordinary
control operation.
[0164] Specifically, the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues a
forward clutch engagement command to engage the forward clutch 67
in step S71. When the forward clutch 67 has been completely engaged
(Yes in step S73), the engine stop/restart controller 2a proceeds
to step S75. Thereafter, the engine stop/restart controller 2a
performs the same operations as in the case where it is judged that
the engine restart request has been made in step S13.
[0165] Thirdly, a case where it is judged that an engine restart
request has been made in step S29 is discussed. This situation
occurs when the engine restart request is made during a period 163
shown in FIG. 13. In this case, the engine stop/restart controller
2a does not proceed to the engine restart control operation but
waits at least until the inertial switchback action timing t9 is
reached. Then, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether
the forward clutch 67 has been completely engaged in step S85. The
engine stop/restart controller 2a issues the forward clutch
engagement command with such timing that the forward clutch 67
completes engagement during the period between the point in time t8
and the point in time t9 as previously discussed with reference to
step S39. Therefore, the judgment result in step S85 is in the
affirmative in most cases.
[0166] If the judgment result in step S85 is in the affirmative,
the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues a 2-4 brake release
command in step S95, causing the automatic transmission 50 to
initiate the 2-1 shift, and performs inertial switchback action
control operation in step S97 for producing the earlier-mentioned
inertial switchback action. During the period of the initial engine
reversing between the point in time t8 and the point in time t9,
the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A moves upward so
that the air in the cylinder 12A is compressed. The engine once
reversed resumes forward running at the point in time t9. In other
words, the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder 12A begins
move downward at the point in time t9. At this timing, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a causes the fuel injector 16 of the
expansion stroke cylinder 12A to inject the fuel and the spark plug
15 of the expansion stroke cylinder 12A to ignite a mixture
produced therein. (Alternatively, the fuel injector 16 may be
controlled to inject the fuel slightly before the inertial
switchback action timing t9 to accelerate evaporation and
atomization of the fuel in advance.) Combustion produced in the
expansion stroke cylinder 12A as discussed above adds combustion
pressure to inertial force of the engine resuming forward running,
thus causing the piston 13 in the cylinder 12A to move downward
with great force and speed. The engine starting system of the
present embodiment can restart the engine with ease and stability
in the above-described manner.
[0167] The engine starting system of the embodiment can restart the
engine more quickly by using the inertial switchback action of the
engine at the point in time t9 than by initiating engine restart
operation after complete engine stop at the point in time t10.
[0168] The inventors have experimentally verified that the period
of time from the point in time t3 when the fuel supply is cut off
to a point when the 2-1 shift after engine restart is completed is
0.85 second at maximum. This is a sufficiently short period of time
from a practical point of view. Considering that the aforementioned
inertial switchback action control operation is relatively simple
and capable of restarting the engine without executing the
earlier-described precharge control operation of the prior art, it
is appreciated that the inertial switchback action control
operation of the embodiment is extremely workable in practical
applications.
[0169] In practice, however, there may occur such a case that the
forward clutch 67 is not completely engaged before the point in
time t9 due to variations in transmission characteristics or other
factors. In such a case (No in step S85), the engine stop/restart
controller 2a does not forcibly initiate the inertial switchback
action control operation but waits until the forward clutch 67 is
completely engaged (Yes in step S87). Then, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a issues a 2-4 brake release command to release the 2-4
brake 70 in step S89. Subsequently, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a waits until the engine completely stops (Yes in step
S91) and then the engine stop/restart controller 2a executes the
engine restart control operation to be performed after complete
engine stop in step S61. The engine starting system of this
embodiment can effectively prevent uncomfortable feeling
potentially given to a driver as well as damage to the forward
clutch 67 which may be caused if the vehicle restarts or
accelerates under conditions where the forward clutch 67 is not
completely engaged.
[0170] While the foregoing discussion has described the engine
stop/restart control operation subroutine on the assumption that
the automatic transmission 50 is in the first gear when the idle
stop conditions are satisfied, the same subroutine is essentially
applicable even if the automatic transmission 50 is in the second
gear when the idle stop conditions are satisfied. In the second
gear, however, the 2-4 brake 70 is already applied, so that the
above-described process of applying the 2-4 brake 70 is omitted in
a case where the automatic transmission 50 is shifted to the
special mode M immediately after the idle stop conditions have been
satisfied. Specifically, steps S11, S13 and S15 of FIG. 19 are
omitted in the latter case. It is therefore possible to quickly
shift the automatic transmission 50 to the special mode M with
ease.
[0171] In a case where the automatic transmission 50 is in the
third gear when the idle stop conditions are satisfied or expected
to be satisfied, the automatic transmission 50 is controlled to
perform the 3-2 shift which is not made during ordinary
deceleration as previously mentioned with reference to the
downshift line 101 shown in FIG. 6. This makes it possible to keep
the 2-4 brake 70 applied and smoothly shift the automatic
transmission 50 to the special mode M by just releasing the forward
clutch 67 subsequently.
Second Embodiment
[0172] Now, an engine starting system according to a second
embodiment of the invention is described. While a power train of
the second embodiment has the same configuration as that of the
first embodiment (FIG. 3), engine stop/restart control operation of
the second embodiment slightly differs. The following discussion
focuses on differences in the engine stop/restart control operation
between the first and second embodiments.
[0173] In the foregoing first embodiment, the vehicle speed-related
condition for the 3-2 shift defined as part of the idle stop
conditions (automatic engine stop conditions) is that "the vehicle
speed equals 19 km/h." In the second embodiment, the vehicle
speed-related condition for the 3-2 shift is that "the vehicle
speed equals 0 km/h."
[0174] According to the second embodiment, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a controls the automatic transmission 50 such that the
forward clutch 67 completes engagement during a period of initial
engine reversing immediately before engine stop and the 2-4 brake
70 is released after the period of the initial engine
reversing.
[0175] The engine stop/restart control operation of the second
embodiment is performed by a procedure described below. The main
routine of FIG. 18 described in the first embodiment applies also
to the second embodiment except that one of the idle stop
conditions is the aforementioned vehicle speed-related condition
that "the vehicle speed equals 0 km/h." This means that the
automatic transmission 50 is in the first gear when the idle stop
conditions are satisfied (Yes in step S6) in this embodiment.
[0176] In the second embodiment, the engine stop/restart control
operation subroutine performed in step S7 of FIG. 18 is carried out
as shown in the flowchart of FIG. 19 (commonly used in the second
embodiment) followed by flowcharts of FIGS. 24 and 25, in which
steps identical to those shown in FIGS. 20 and 21 are designated by
the same symbols and a detailed description of these steps is not
provided in the following.
[0177] Following step S29 or S31 of FIG. 19, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a of the second embodiment determines the
N-D shift engine speed N3 according to the ATF temperature detected
by the transmission fluid temperature sensor 37 in step S133. The
N-D shift engine speed N3 is set to approximately 750 rpm when the
ATF temperature is about 80 degrees Centigrade or above, and to an
increasingly higher engine speed with a decrease in the ATF
temperature when the ATF temperature is lower than 80 degrees
Centigrade based on information obtained from a map previously
stored in the engine stop/restart controller 2a. The N-D shift
engine speed N3 is set in this way to compensate for changes in the
clutch engagement time. The clutch engagement time increases as the
ATF temperature decreases as shown in FIG. 26. The lower the ATF
temperature, the earlier (that is, when the engine speed Ne is
higher) the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues a forward
clutch engagement command in order to minimize changes in the
clutch engagement time.
[0178] In succeeding step S134, the engine stop/restart controller
2a judges whether the engine speed Ne has become equal to or lower
than the N-D shift engine speed N3 determined in step S133. If the
judgment result in step S134 is in the affirmative (point in time
t4), the engine stop/restart controller 2a performs the special
clutch engagement control operation. Specifically, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a issues a forward clutch engagement
command to the automatic transmission 50 which is currently in the
special mode M in step S135 to engage the forward clutch 67.
[0179] When the engine stop/restart controller 2a initiates the
special clutch engagement control operation, the forward clutch 67
begins to engage. In carrying out the special clutch engagement
control operation, the engine stop/restart controller 2a aims to
control the automatic transmission 50 in such a fashion that the
forward clutch 67 begins to substantially engage at the point in
time t7 (or substantial engagement starting point when the forward
clutch 67 begins to transmit engine torque in actuality) set at or
after the point in time t6 of the last TDC and to complete
engagement during a period of initial engine reversing (or at an
engagement ending point) between the point in time t8 and the point
in time t9 shown in FIG. 13. The aforementioned information
obtained from the map for determining the N-D shift engine speed N3
in step S133 is a set of values which have been experimentally
verified as being suitable for achieving the above aim of the
special clutch engagement control operation with respect to the
engagement starting point and the engagement ending point.
[0180] When the forward clutch 67 is engaged by the special clutch
engagement control operation, the automatic transmission 50 is
shifted from the neutral condition to the drive condition (second
gear in the present embodiment). This transmission shifting from
the neutral condition to the drive condition differs from the
ordinary N-D shift in that the forward clutch 67 is engaged under
conditions where the automatic transmission 50 is in the special
mode M. As previously mentioned, it possible to reduce the amount
of energy absorbed by the forward clutch 67 at clutch engagement,
and thus the clutch engagement time, if the forward clutch 67 is
engaged when the automatic transmission 50 is in the special mode
M. The aforementioned special clutch engagement control operation
of the embodiment is therefore advantageous for quick engine
restart as well as for reducing the N-D shock, or abrupt torque
variations at the N-D shift.
[0181] If the substantial engagement starting point of the forward
clutch 67 is set at or after the point in time t6 of the last TDC
as mentioned above, it is possible to keep the automatic
transmission 50 in the neutral condition during a period preceding
the point in time t6 when it is particularly desirable to preclude
disturbances to the crankshaft 3 in the process of automatic engine
stop. This enables more stable execution of the automatic engine
stop control operation.
[0182] When the forward clutch 67 is engaged by the special clutch
engagement control operation of step S135, the automatic
transmission 50 is shifted to the second gear as mentioned above.
Consequently, the automatic transmission 50 transmits a reverse
driving force of the engine to the drive axles 78, 79. Since the
vehicle is at rest (the driving wheels do not turn) at this point,
however, the reverse driving force of the engine is stored in the
form of torsional energy in a drive system (mainly in the drive
axles 78, 79 in the front-engine, front-drive vehicle of this
embodiment as indicated by arrows 78b and 79b of FIG. 3).
[0183] If the 2-4 brake 70 is released at this point, the automatic
transmission 50 is shifted to the first gear. Since the one-way
clutch 72 is unlocked in the first gear, the reverse driving force
of the engine is no longer transmitted to the drive axles 78, 79
and, as a consequence, the torsional energy stored in the drive
system is released, thus producing torsional vibration (clutch
disengagement shock) due to the twisting back of the drive system.
In the present embodiment, however, the 2-4 brake 70 is controlled
not to disengage during a period of engine reversing so that the
occurrence of the clutch disengagement shock is effectively
avoided.
[0184] In step S136 of FIG. 20 which follows step S134 or step S135
of FIG. 24, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether
the engine speed Ne has dropped to the reference engine speed N2
(preset to approximately 790 rpm). If the engine speed Ne is judged
to have dropped to the preset reference engine speed N2 in step
S136 (point in time t5), the engine stop/restart controller 2a
decreases the opening K of the throttle valve 23 in step S137.
[0185] Subsequently, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges
whether the engine speed Ne has dropped to the specific engine
speed N4 (Ne<N4) in step S41 and to the specific engine speed N5
(Ne<N5) in step S43. As an example, the specific engine speed N4
and the specific engine speed N5 are set to 650 rpm and 400 rpm
(N4=650 rpm, N5=400 rpm), respectively. If N4>Ne>N5 (Yes in
step S41 and No in step S43), the engine stop/restart controller 2a
executes the earlier-mentioned alternator control operation in step
S45. When the engine speed Ne becomes lower than the specific
engine speed N5 (Yes in step S43, or Ne<N5), the engine
stop/restart controller 2a completes the alternator control
operation and proceeds to step S47.
[0186] In step S47, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges
whether the engine is still before the timing for producing the
aforementioned inertial switchback action (inertial switchback
action timing). In this embodiment, the inertial switchback action
timing is set at the point in time t9 when the engine completes
initial reversing motion immediately before engine stop or at a
point immediately preceding the point in time t9.
[0187] If it is judged that the engine is before the inertial
switchback action timing t9 (Yes in step S47), the engine
stop/restart controller 2a returns to step S29 of FIG. 19 and
reexecutes steps S29 through step S47. Similarly, if the judgment
result in step S136, S41 or S43 is in the negative (the alternator
control operation is in progress), the engine stop/restart
controller 2a returns to step S29 of FIG. 19 and reexecutes steps
S29 through step S47. If the engine restart request is made (Yes in
step S29) during this cyclical operation, the engine stop/restart
controller 2a sets the inertial switchback action flag F1 to "1" in
step S31.
[0188] If the inertial switchback action timing t9 is reached and
the judgment result in step S47 is in the negative, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a proceeds to step S51 of FIG. 25 and
judges whether the inertial switchback action flag F1 is set to "1"
or not. If the inertial switchback action flag F1 is not "1" (No in
step S51), the engine stop/restart controller 2a does not cause the
engine to produce the inertial switchback action because the engine
restart request has not been made yet.
[0189] In succeeding step S53, the engine stop/restart controller
2a judges whether the forward clutch 67 has been completely
engaged. Specifically, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges
that the forward clutch 67 has been completely engaged if the
turbine turning speed Nt has a value corresponding to the current
vehicle speed and gear shift position. In the present embodiment,
the vehicle speed is 0 km/h (at reset) at this point and, thus, the
engine stop/restart controller 2a can judge that the forward clutch
67 has been completely engaged when the turbine turning speed Nt
becomes 0 rpm.
[0190] If it is difficult for the engine stop/restart controller 2a
to judge whether the forward clutch 67 has been completely engaged
in a way described above, the embodiment may be modified to use a
different judgment criterion or method. For example, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a may judge that the forward clutch 67 has
been completely engaged when a specific period of time (e.g., 0.4
second) has elapsed after the forward clutch release command was
issued.
[0191] The above method of judging completion of engagement of the
forward clutch 67 discussed in step S53 is similarly applied to
other steps (steps S73, S85 and S87) which will be described in the
following.
[0192] If the forward clutch 67 is judged to have been completely
engaged (Yes in step S53), the engine stop/restart controller 2a
waits until the engine completely stops (Yes in step S57) and then
the engine stop/restart controller 2a waits for an engine restart
request in step S59. At a point in time when the engine restart
request is made (Yes in step S59), the engine stop/restart
controller 2a executes the engine restart control operation to be
performed after complete engine stop in step S61. The engine
restart control operation performed after complete engine stop in
step S61 is the same as that of the first embodiment.
[0193] While executing the engine restart control operation in step
S61, the engine stop/restart controller 2a judges whether the
engine once reversed after the beginning of the engine restart
control operation has resumed forward running in step S63. If the
judgment result in step S63 is in the affirmative (point in time
t11 shown in FIG. 13), the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues
a 2-4 brake release command to release the 2-4 brake 70 in step
S65. The 2-4 brake 70 is thus released while the engine is running
in the forward direction, so that the aforementioned clutch
disengagement shock can be effectively avoided.
[0194] When the 2-4 brake 70 is completely released, the automatic
transmission 50 is shifted to the first gear in which only the
forward clutch 67 is engaged. Therefore, even if the engine restart
request is made by depression of the accelerator pedal requiring
the vehicle to start off, it is possible to achieve a quick
restating capability.
[0195] The foregoing discussion of the second embodiment has dealt
with a case where no engine restart request is made until the
engine completely stops and the engine is restarted in accordance
with an engine restart request made after complete engine stop. The
following discussion deals with cases where the engine restart
request is made before the engine completely stops.
[0196] In a case where it is judged that an engine restart request
has been made in step S13 or S19 of FIG. 19, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a performs the same operation as already
discussed with reference to the first embodiment.
[0197] If it is judged that an engine restart request has been made
in step S29, the engine stop/restart controller 2a performs steps
S31 through S85 in the same way as in the first embodiment. If the
judgment result in step S85 is in the affirmative, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a performs the aforementioned inertial
switchback action control operation in step S97. The engine
starting system by using the inertial switchback action of the
engine than by initiating engine restart operation after complete
engine stop as in the first embodiment.
[0198] In subsequent step S98, the engine stop/restart controller
2a judges whether the engine once reversed has resumed forward
running as a result of the inertial switchback action control
operation. If the judgment result in step S98 is in the
affirmative, the engine stop/restart controller 2a issues a 2-4
brake release command to release the 2-4 brake 70 in step S65. The
2-4 brake 70 is thus released while the engine is running in the
forward direction, so that the aforementioned clutch disengagement
shock can be effectively avoided.
[0199] When the 2-4 brake 70 is completely released, the automatic
transmission 50 is shifted to the first gear in which only the
forward clutch 67 is engaged. Therefore, even if the engine restart
request is made by depression of the accelerator pedal requiring
the vehicle to start off, it is possible to achieve a quick
restating capability.
[0200] In practice, however, there may occur such a case that the
forward clutch 67 is not completely engaged before the point in
time t9 due to variations in transmission characteristics or other
factors. In such a case (No in step S85), the engine stop/restart
controller 2a does not forcibly initiate the inertial switchback
action control operation but waits until the forward clutch 67 is
completely engaged (Yes in step S87). Subsequently, the engine
stop/restart controller 2a waits until the engine completely stops
(Yes in step S91) and then the engine stop/restart controller 2a
executes the engine restart control operation to be performed after
complete engine stop in step S61. The engine starting system of
this embodiment can effectively prevent uncomfortable feeling
potentially given to the driver and damage to the forward clutch 67
which can be caused if the vehicle restarts or accelerates under
conditions where the forward clutch 67 is not completely
engaged.
Third Embodiment
[0201] Now, an engine starting system according to a third
embodiment of the invention is described. While a power train of
the third embodiment has the same configuration as those of the
first and second embodiments (FIG. 3), engine stop/restart control
operation of the third embodiment slightly differs. The following
discussion focuses on differences between the engine stop/restart
control operation performed in the third embodiment and that
performed in the first and second embodiments.
[0202] FIG. 27 is a flowchart showing a third part of an engine
stop/restart control operation subroutine used in the third
embodiment corresponding to the flowchart of FIG. 25 used in the
second embodiment. In the flowchart of FIG. 27, steps identical to
those shown in FIG. 25 are designated by the same symbols and a
detailed description of these steps is not provided in the
following.
[0203] A substantial difference of the engine stop/restart control
operation subroutine of the third embodiment from that of the
second embodiment lies in release timing of the 2-4 brake 70 when
the engine stop/restart controller 2a executes the engine restart
control operation after complete engine stop (step S61). While the
engine stop/restart controller 2a releases the 2-4 brake 70 after
the engine once reversed after the beginning of the engine restart
control operation has resumed forward running in the second
embodiment (steps S63, S65 of FIG. 25), the engine stop/restart
controller 2a releases the 2-4 brake 70 after the engine has
completely stopped in the third embodiment (steps S57, S58 of FIG.
27).
[0204] It is also possible to effectively avoid the aforementioned
clutch disengagement shock by releasing the 2-4 brake 70 after the
engine has completely stopped as stated above. When the engine is
automatically stopped, the engine produces a gradually damped
oscillatory motion, alternately turning in the forward and reverse
directions after the initial engine reversing. This means that the
engine can be reversed twice or more times after the initial engine
reversing. (FIGS. 13 and 14 show a case where the engine slightly
runs in the reverse direction a second time after the initial
engine reversing.) As the 2-4 brake 70 is released upon complete
engine stop in this embodiment, it is possible to eliminate the
possibility of causing the clutch disengagement shock which may
occur if the 2-4 brake 70 is released during the second or later
engine reversing.
[0205] While the invention has thus far been discussed, by way of
example, with reference to the first to third embodiments, various
changes and variations may be made to these embodiments without
departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Given below
are some specific examples of such variations.
[0206] (1) According to the foregoing embodiments, the engine
restart control operation performed after complete engine stop
causes the engine to be once reversed before turning in the forward
direction at engine restart. This engine restart control operation
may be modified to restart the engine by just turning in the
forward direction (without reversing). It is to be noted however
that if the engine is once reversed, the amount of initial
combustion energy produced by the expansion stroke cylinder 12A
increases, making it possible to restart the engine in a more
reliable fashion.
[0207] (2) According to the foregoing embodiments, the engine
starting system supplies the fuel to the expansion stroke cylinder
12A and the compression stroke cylinder 12C at least after the
engine restart conditions have been satisfied. The embodiments may
be modified to supply the fuel to these cylinders 12A, 12C before
the engine restart conditions are satisfied. For example, the fuel
may be supplied on an intake stroke immediately preceding automatic
engine stop during execution of the automatic engine stop control
operation. This modification serves to accelerate evaporation and
atomization of the fuel prior to engine restart, enabling the
engine starting system to instantly produce combustion in a proper
manner by just igniting a mixture when executing the engine restart
operation.
[0208] (3) Although the automatic transmission 50 is a four-gear
shift type automatic transmission in the foregoing embodiments, the
invention is not limited thereto. The invention is also applicable
to a three-gear shift type automatic transmission as well as
automatic transmissions having five or more gears. In addition, the
invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments with respect
to a combination of input elements, fixed elements and output
elements of each planetary gear set 65, 66.
[0209] (4) Although not incorporated in the foregoing embodiments,
the engine starting system may be provided with a starter motor or
the like (e.g., an integrated starter generator, or ISG, in which a
starter and an alternator are integrated) which will assist when
the stop position of the piston 13 in the expansion stroke cylinder
12 is out of the aforementioned appropriate piston stop range R or
within the appropriate piston stop range R but close to a boundary
thereof, the engine speed Ne does not reach a specific value within
a specific period of time after the beginning of the engine restart
control operation, or initial combustion after the beginning of the
engine restart control operation is produced in the expansion
stroke cylinder 12 at engine stop, for example, even if the
specific engine restart conditions has been satisfied. Combustion
energy produced in the engine helps reduce a load on the starter
motor in this case as well. In this modification, however, it is
preferable that the fuel injectors 16 inject the fuel on the intake
stroke to accelerate evaporation and atomization of the fuel and
mixing of the fuel with air in each cylinder 12.
[0210] (5) Although the fuel injectors 16 used in the engine of the
foregoing embodiments are of a type which injects the fuel directly
into the individual cylinders 12, the invention is also applicable
engines employing port-injection type fuel injectors.
[0211] In summary, an engine starting system for a power train
including an engine and an automatic transmission which transmits
engine power while performing gear shifting operation in a
prescribed manner includes an engine stop/restart controller for
performing automatic engine stop control operation for
automatically stopping the engine by interrupting fuel supply
necessary for continued engine operation when automatic engine stop
conditions are satisfied and for automatically restarting the
engine by producing combustion at least in a cylinder which is on
an expansion stroke at engine stop when engine restart conditions
are satisfied after automatic engine stop. The automatic
transmission includes a stationary member constituting an integral
part of a transmission housing, a planetary gear mechanism
including at least a first rotary member and a second rotary
member, an input shaft of the planetary gear mechanism, an output
shaft of the planetary gear mechanism, a clutch for engaging and
disengaging the first rotary member and the input shaft to and from
each other, and a brake for engaging and disengaging the second
rotary member and the stationary member to and from each other, the
automatic transmission having a special mode in which the clutch is
disengaged and the brake is applied. The clutch is configured to
set the automatic transmission in a drive condition in which the
engine power can be transmitted to a driving wheel side when the
clutch is engaged and in a neutral condition in which transmission
of the engine power to the driving wheel side is interrupted when
the clutch is disengaged at least under conditions where the
automatic engine stop conditions are satisfied. If the special mode
is selected under conditions where the output shaft is locked, the
automatic transmission is brought to a condition in which the first
rotary member is locked to the stationary member. During execution
of the aforementioned automatic engine stop control operation, the
engine stop/restart controller performs special clutch engagement
control operation in which the automatic transmission is caused to
initiate a transfer to the special mode before the fuel supply is
interrupted and the clutch is caused to completely engage at a
specific point in time at least after the automatic transmission
has completed the transfer to the special mode.
[0212] The aforementioned engine starting system of the present
invention makes it possible to perform the automatic engine stop
control operation in a stable fashion by switching the automatic
transmission from the drive condition to the neutral condition when
automatically stopping the engine, although the control operation
is relatively simple and develops almost no worrisome problem
related to the reliability of the clutch. Additionally, the engine
starting system can switch the automatic transmission to the drive
condition as soon as possible even if an engine restart request is
entered by depression of the accelerator pedal, for instance, when
the automatic transmission is in the neutral condition.
[0213] According to the aforementioned configuration of the
invention, the engine stop/restart controller causes the automatic
transmission to initiate a transfer to the special mode before the
fuel supply is interrupted during execution of the aforementioned
automatic engine stop control operation. Since the clutch is
completely disengaged in the special mode, the automatic
transmission is switched to the neutral condition. As the automatic
engine stop control operation is performed in the neutral
condition, the engine stop/restart controller can carry out the
automatic engine stop control operation in a stable fashion. In
addition, the engine stop/restart controller causes the automatic
transmission to initiate the transfer to the special mode before
interruption of the fuel supply as stated above. This enables the
engine stop/restart controller to control the automatic
transmission such that the automatic transmission is already in the
neutral condition when the fuel supply is interrupted by
transferring the automatic transmission to the special mode at a
point preceding the interruption of the fuel supply at least by a
period of time required for disengagement of the clutch and then
issuing a clutch release command. Therefore, the engine
stop/restart controller can perform the automatic engine stop
control operation with higher stability.
[0214] Furthermore, as it is not necessary to precharge the clutch
in the neutral condition of the automatic transmission, there is
almost no worrisome problem concerning the reliability of the
clutch. This feature of the invention eliminates the need for a
complicated mechanism for ensuring the reliability of the clutch,
thus allowing for a relatively simple clutch structure. In
addition, this feature obviates the need to conduct experiments for
verifying the reliability of the clutch, thus contributing to
shortening overall development time.
[0215] The aforementioned special clutch engagement control
operation for engaging the clutch is carried out when the automatic
transmission is in the special mode, in which the first rotary
member is locked to the stationary member when the output shaft is
locked (with the vehicle stopped). In this condition, the output
shaft is regarded as a stationary member. Consequently, the clutch
engages the first rotary member with the input shaft (e.g., a
turbine shaft), causing the input shaft to stop turning. This means
that the clutch serves to absorb rotational energy of an input
shaft system which includes the input shaft and elements together
turning therewith by converting the rotational energy into thermal
energy in the form of frictional heat produced by clutch
engagement.
[0216] In a generally known mechanism of a conventional automatic
transmission, elements of a planetary gear mechanism turn together
with an input shaft even when the automatic transmission is in a
neutral condition. This means that, even when disengaged, clutches
and associated elements transmit a slight amount of power due to a
so-called "drag" phenomenon. Although it is possible to
significantly decrease the drag by providing a sufficiently large
plate-to-plate clearance when each clutch is disengaged, this
approach results in an increase in the time required for clutch
engagement. It is therefore necessary to decrease the
plate-to-plate clearance to a certain extent to ensure quick clutch
engagement. For this reason, a certain degree of drag of the
clutches and the associated elements is unavoidable, making it
inevitable to allow these elements to more or less turn
together.
[0217] The aforementioned generally known mechanism of the
conventional automatic transmission makes an N-D shift by engaging
the clutch under conditions where the drag of the transmission
elements is occurring. It is therefore necessary to absorb
rotational energy of not only the input shaft system by all the
elements of the planetary gear mechanism which are turning together
with the input shaft.
[0218] According to the present invention, however, the first
rotary member becomes a stationary member when the output shaft is
locked in the special mode and, thus, the first rotary member does
not turn together with the input shaft. Accordingly, the clutch of
the invention need to absorb the rotational energy of the input
shaft system only at engagement, so that the amount of the
rotational energy to be absorbed at clutch engagement is small
compared to that to be absorbed at the N-D shift in the generally
known mechanism of the conventional automatic transmission.
Therefore, the automatic transmission of the invention can make the
N-D shift in a short time, enabling the engine starting system to
quickly switch the automatic transmission to the drive condition
even if an engine restart request is entered by depression of the
accelerator pedal, for instance, when the automatic transmission is
in the neutral condition.
[0219] Additionally, the amount of the rotational energy to be
absorbed by the clutch is so small that the shock load (N-D shock)
caused by abrupt torque variations occurring at the N-D shift can
be effectively reduced.
[0220] In one feature of the invention, the engine stop/restart
controller begins to perform the aforementioned special clutch
engagement control operation during a process of automatic engine
stop after interruption of the fuel supply in executing the
automatic engine stop control operation.
[0221] This enables the clutch to complete engagement earlier than
by initiating the special clutch engagement control operation after
complete engine stop, so that the engine can quickly respond to an
engine restart request entered by depression of the accelerator
pedal, for instance.
[0222] In another feature of the invention, a substantial
engagement starting point when the clutch begins to substantially
engage is set at a specific point in time after a point in time
when a piston in the cylinder which will be on the expansion stroke
at engine stop lastly goes beyond top dead center (last TDC)
immediately before engine stop during the process of automatic
engine stop.
[0223] Here, the substantial engagement starting point of the
clutch is a point in time when the clutch begins to transmit engine
torque in actuality. Generally, the substantial engagement starting
point of the clutch is slightly delayed from a point in time when
the engine stop/restart controller issues a clutch engagement
command. The present invention is not necessarily limited to an
arrangement in which the engine stop/restart controller issues the
clutch engagement command after the last TDC but includes an
arrangement in which the engine stop/restart controller issues the
clutch engagement command before the last TDC and the clutch begins
to substantially engage after the last TDC.
[0224] This feature of the invention makes it possible to achieve a
high level of stability in carrying out the automatic engine stop
control operation. In the execution of the automatic engine stop
control operation, the period of time required for the piston in
the cylinder which will be on the expansion stroke at engine stop
to go beyond the last TDC after the clutch engagement command is
susceptible to an influence particularly from the driving wheel
side. According to the present invention, however, the automatic
transmission is held in the neutral condition during the
aforementioned period of time. This makes it possible to perform
the automatic engine stop control operation with a high level of
stability without the influence of disturbances from the driving
wheel side.
[0225] In order to achieve a quick engine response to the engine
restart request entered by depression of the accelerator pedal, for
instance, on the other hand, it is desirable that the substantial
engagement starting point of the clutch occur as early as possible.
Thus, the substantial engagement starting point of the clutch
should preferably occur as early as possible after the last
TDC.
[0226] In another feature of the invention, the engine stop/restart
controller begins to perform the special clutch engagement control
operation at a specific point in time such that an engagement
ending point at which the clutch completes engagement as a result
of the special clutch engagement control operation occurs at a
point in time when engine speed becomes zero for the first time
during the process of automatic engine stop.
[0227] This feature of the invention makes it possible to reduce
the period of time from the point in time when the engine speed
becomes zero for the first time (or from the beginning of initial
engine reversing) to complete engine stop. During this period of
time, the engine produces a gradually damped oscillatory motion
alternately running in the forward and reverse directions with
individual pistons moving up and down. It is possible to quicken
the damping of the oscillatory motion by causing the clutch to
complete engagement during this period of time with a proper amount
of load applied to the engine.
[0228] Preferably, the clutch should complete engagement before the
end of the initial engine reversing. This permits the engine to
produce a smooth inertial switchback action, which enables the
engine to smoothly restart by using inertia produced when the
engine once reversed resumes forward running. The engine starting
system of the invention can smoothly restart the engine by using
the inertial switchback action even before complete engine stop,
thus allowing a quicker engine restart.
[0229] In another feature of the invention, the engine stop/restart
controller releases the brake after the clutch has completed
engagement as a result of the special clutch engagement control
operation when canceling the special mode upon fulfillment of the
engine restart conditions.
[0230] This feature of the invention makes it possible to produce
the earlier-mentioned effect (i.e., reductions in clutch engagement
time and N-D shock) of the special clutch engagement control
operation in which the engine stop/restart controller causes the
clutch to completely engage in the special mode even when the
special mode is being canceled upon fulfillment of the engine
restart conditions. In addition, it becomes possible to ensure
smooth engine restart (quick vehicle restating and acceleration)
under normal operating conditions (typically in first gear) by
canceling the special mode.
[0231] In another feature of the invention, the engine stop/restart
controller causes the brake to begin engagement before interruption
of the fuel supply when transferring the automatic transmission to
the special mode.
[0232] This allows for an early transfer of the automatic
transmission to the special mode.
[0233] In another feature of the invention, the power train is
mounted on a vehicle, and the automatic transmission is a
multi-gear transmission having at least first gear, second gear and
third gear, the automatic transmission being configured to apply
the brake when in the second gear under normal running conditions
of the vehicle and to directly shift from the third gear to the
first gear at a specific vehicle speed during deceleration under
the normal running conditions of the vehicle, wherein the engine
stop/restart controller causes the automatic transmission to shift
from the third gear to the second gear if the automatic engine stop
conditions are at least expected to be satisfied when the vehicle
is in ordinary deceleration, running at a speed not exceeding a
specific vehicle speed, with the automatic transmission set in the
third gear, and the engine stop/restart controller causes the
automatic transmission to shift to the special mode after the
automatic engine stop conditions have been satisfied.
[0234] This feature of the invention makes it possible to smoothly
shift the automatic transmission to the special mode with ease by
using engagement of the clutch in the second gear. This is because
it is only necessary to keep the brake applied when shifting the
automatic transmission to the special mode through the second
gear.
[0235] In another feature of the invention, the automatic engine
stop conditions include at least that the output shaft is not
turning, wherein the engine stop/restart controller causes the
automatic transmission to shift to the special mode during
execution of the automatic engine stop control operation, the
engine stop/restart controller performs the special clutch
engagement control operation such that the clutch completes
engagement while the automatic transmission is in the special mode
and the engine is making an initial reversing motion immediately
before engine stop, and the engine stop/restart controller releases
the brake after the engine has completed initial reversing
motion.
[0236] According to this feature of the invention, the clutch
completes engagement at an optimum point in time when the engine is
making the initial reversing motion under conditions where the
output shaft is not turning after the automatic engine stop
conditions have been satisfied. Consequently, the automatic
transmission is kept in the neutral condition during most of a
period preceding the beginning of the initial engine reversing,
making it possible to perform the automatic engine stop control
operation in a stable fashion. Since the clutch is already engaged
when the engine resumes forward running upon completion of the
initial engine reversing, it is possible to cause the engine to
produce a smooth inertial switchback action when an engine restart
request is made.
[0237] Even if the engine restart request is made by depression of
the accelerator pedal requiring the vehicle to start off, for
instance, it is possible to prevent an uncomfortable feeling
potentially given to a driver as well as damage to the clutch which
may be caused if the vehicle restarts under conditions where the
clutch is not completely engaged.
[0238] In the above connection, attention should be paid to the
fact that if the clutch is caused to complete engagement while the
engine is making the initial reversing motion, the reversing motion
of the engine is stored in the form of torsional energy in a drive
system including a drive shaft. If the brake is released while the
engine is running the reverse direction, the accumulated torsional
energy is released, thus producing torsional vibration (clutch
disengagement shock) due to the twisting back of the drive
system.
[0239] According to the present invention, however, the clutch is
disengaged after the engine has completed the initial reversing
motion, so that the accumulated torsional energy is not released,
making it possible to effectively prevent the occurrence of the
clutch disengagement shock.
[0240] In the engine starting system in which the automatic engine
stop conditions include at least that the output shaft is not
turning, the engine stop/restart controller may release the brake
at a point in time when the engine begins to run in a forward
direction upon completion of the initial reversing motion.
[0241] In the engine starting system thus configured, the engine
stop/restart controller releases the brake at the point in time
when the engine begins to run in the forward direction upon
completion of the initial reversing motion, that is, the earliest
possible timing after the initial engine reversing. Thus, in a case
where it is desirable that the brake be released at engine restart,
the engine starting system can bring the engine to this kind of
desirable condition as soon as possible.
[0242] The aforementioned case where it is desirable that the brake
be released at engine restart refers to such a case that the
automatic transmission is configured to be shifted to the second
gear when the brake is applied and to the first gear when the brake
is released and the engine restart request is made by depression of
the accelerator pedal requiring the vehicle to start off, for
example. It is to be noted, however, that the invention is not
limited to such a case.
[0243] In the engine starting system in which the automatic engine
stop conditions include at least that the output shaft is not
turning, the engine stop/restart controller may release the brake
when a specific period of time has elapsed from a point in time
when the engine begins to run in a forward direction upon
completion of the initial reversing motion in a case where the
engine restart conditions have not been satisfied yet.
[0244] This configuration makes it possible to prevent the
aforementioned clutch disengagement shock in a more reliable
fashion. There arises no undesirable effect even if the brake is
released with a slight delay when the engine restart conditions
have not been satisfied, that is, when no engine restart request
has been made. It becomes possible to decrease the possibility of
causing the clutch disengagement shock by retarding brake release
timing within a range in which no undesirable effect would
occur.
[0245] It is to be noted in the above connection, however, that the
reversing of the engine can occur not only when the engine is
stopped. For example, the engine may be temporarily reversed even
after restarting if the engine starting system restarts the engine
in the same way as the earlier-mentioned conventional engine
starting system shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
2004-124754. From this point of view, the aforementioned specific
period of time after which the engine stop/restart controller
releases the brake may be a period of time from the beginning of
engine restart operation to the point in time when the engine
begins to run in the forward direction.
[0246] If the brake release timing is set within the period of time
from the beginning of the engine restart operation to the point in
time when the engine begins to run in the forward direction as
stated above, it is possible to preclude the possibility of the
clutch disengagement shock occurring even during engine reversing
after the beginning of the engine restart operation.
[0247] When the engine is automatically stopped, the engine
produces a gradually damped oscillatory motion, alternately turning
in the forward and reverse directions after the initial engine
reversing. This means that the engine can be reversed twice or more
times after the initial engine reversing. From this point of view,
the aforementioned specific period of time after which the engine
stop/restart controller releases the brake may be a period of time
from the point in time when the engine begins to run in the forward
direction upon completion of the initial reversing motion to a
point in time when the engine completely stops.
[0248] If the brake release timing is retarded to the point in time
when the engine completely stops as stated above, it is possible to
preclude the possibility of the clutch disengagement shock
occurring even during second and later engine reversing.
[0249] In the engine starting system in which the automatic engine
stop conditions include at least that the output shaft is not
turning, the engine stop/restart controller may adjust a timing at
which the engine stop/restart controller issues a control command
to at least the clutch or the brake.
[0250] With this arrangement, the engine starting system can
control engagement and disengagement timings of the clutch and the
brake with higher accuracy. Generally, clutches and brakes of the
automatic transmission uses a hydraulic piston actuated by charging
and discharging an automatic transmission fluid (ATF). There is
always a delay time from the timing at which the engine
stop/restart controller issues an engagement or disengagement
control command to a point in time when the clutch or the brake
completes engagement or disengagement, the delay time corresponding
to the time required for fully charging or discharging the ATF.
Accordingly, the engine stop/restart controller must issue the
control command taking this delay time into account.
[0251] Generally, the higher the viscosity of the ATF, the larger
the delay time of engagement and disengagement timings of the
clutch and the brake. Also, the viscosity of the ATF greatly varies
with variations in ATF temperature, that is, the lower the ATF
temperature, the higher the viscosity of the ATF. It follows that
the lower the ATF temperature, the larger the delay time. The
engine starting system of the present invention is configured to
control the engagement and disengagement timings of the clutch and
the brake the with higher accuracy by adjusting the timing at which
the engine stop/restart controller issues the control command to
either of the clutch and the brake. Normally, the lower the ATF
temperature, the earlier the engine stop/restart controller issues
the control command.
[0252] This application is based on Japanese Patent Application
Serial Nos. 2005-289257 and 2005-289316, filed with Japan Patent
Office, both on Sep. 30, 2005, the contents of which are hereby
incorporated by reference.
[0253] Although the present invention has been fully described by
way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is
to be understood that various changes and modifications will be
apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, unless otherwise
such changes and modifications depart from the scope of the present
invention hereinafter defined, they should be construed as being
included therein.
* * * * *